Smarkets has announced that it’s launching the company’s sports betting platform in Iowa in the coming months. The platform will be powered by Affinity Interactive and no exact launch date has been set in stone yet. Smarkets was launched by SBK back in 2019, and the first state it broke ground in was Colorado.
Affinity Interactive to Assist Smarkets Launch
Meanwhile, Smarkets should be also launching in Indiana, and this is expected to happen ahead of the launch date in Iowa, too. Commenting on this opportunity, Smarkets CEO & founder Jason Trost said:
“I’m incredibly excited about this deal. The potential for SBK is huge in America, so adding our third licensed state is key as we move to our next stage of growth.”
Smarkets CEO & founder Jason Trost
Trost said that bringing the platform home, referring to his own residence in the state, is an important milestone for him personally, but also for the company as well. He believes that bettors in his state will appreciate the advanced market-leading odds and products delivered by SBK through the Smarkets platform.
Affinity Interactive is an important local partner in Iowa, but it also has ties in other markets. Missouri and Nevada are potential future areas of expansion for Smarkets as Affinity is already present there. Affinity owns eight casinos and works on online betting platforms that combine both interactive gaming and sports wagering.
Affinity CEO Mary Beth Higgins was similarly excited to assist Smarkets in establishing a presence in yet another market.
Iowa’s Sports Betting Market Develops Well
She welcomed SBK’s hard work and said that Affinity was glad to be assisting the product expands in new jurisdictions. Iowa has had sports betting market for several years now, generating steady tax revenue and a solid betting handle.
The state has seen no shortage of excellent sportsbooks enter. Bally’s Corporation, Caesars Sportsbooks, BetMGM, and BetRivers have all set up shop in the state, citing the high value of customers there. The state also has a fairly low licensing and renewal annual fee, which makes the operation of leading operators easier.