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Can I offer contests that involve in-game promotions in Iowa? What are the requirements?

Based on the Iowa Code and additional context documents, you can offer contests that involve in-game promotions in Iowa as long as they meet certain requirements.

Requirements for offering contests in Iowa

  1. A gambling device cannot be used in conjunction with or incident to the contest.
  2. The contest must not be conducted in whole or in part on or in any property subject to chapter 297, relating to schoolhouses and schoolhouse sites, unless the contest and the person conducting the contest has the express written approval of the governing body of that school district.
  3. The contest must be conducted in a fair and honest manner.
  4. A contest shall not be designed or adapted to permit the operator of the contest to prevent a participant from winning or to predetermine who the winner will be.
  5. The object of the contest must be attainable and possible to perform under the rules stated.
  6. If the contest is a tournament, the tournament operator shall prominently display all tournament rules.

Types of contests that are lawful in Iowa

Contests, including contests in a league or tournament, are lawful only if they fall into one of the following event categories:

  1. Athletic or sporting events
  2. Racing and skill-type events
  3. Arts and crafts-type events
  4. Card game-type and board game-type events
  5. Trivia and trading card events
  6. Video game-type and video sporting-type events

To be lawful, a player shall operate a video machine with a device which directly impacts the results of the game.

Types of contests that are not lawful in Iowa

Poker, blackjack, craps, keno, or roulette contests, leagues, or tournaments shall not be considered a bona fide contest under this section.

Additional Requirements

There are additional requirements for licensure found in Iowa Code chapter 99B [3.2]. No games shall be conducted until an application is approved and a license is issued by the department [3.1].

Exceptions

There are exceptions to licensing requirements for certain types of games, such as game nights conducted by a person other than a qualified organization [1.2] and internet fantasy sports contests conducted by a licensed internet fantasy sports contest service provider [2.1].

Conclusion

Based on the Iowa Code and additional context documents, you can offer contests that involve in-game promotions in Iowa as long as they meet the requirements listed above and fall into one of the lawful event categories. However, there are additional requirements for licensure and exceptions to licensing requirements for certain types of games.

Source(s):
Jurisdiction

Iowa