VICE

725.1

Prostitution.

1. a. Except as provided in paragraph “b”, a person who sells or offers for sale the person’s services as a partner in a sex act commits an aggravated misdemeanor.

b. If the person who sells or offers for sale the person’s services as a partner in a sex act is under the age of eighteen, the county attorney may elect, in lieu of filing a petition alleging that the person has committed a delinquent act, to refer that person to the department of health and human services for the possible filing of a petition alleging that the person is a child in need of assistance.

c. If the person who sells or offers for sale the person’s services as a partner in a sex act is under the age of eighteen, upon the expiration of two years following the person’s conviction for a violation of paragraph “a” or of a similar local ordinance, the person may petition the court to expunge the conviction, and if the person has had no other criminal convictions, other than local traffic violations or simple misdemeanor violations of chapter 321 during the two-year period, the conviction shall be expunged as a matter of law. The court shall enter an order that the record of the conviction be expunged by the clerk of the district court. Notwithstanding section 692.2, after receipt of notice from the clerk of the district court that a record of conviction for a violation of paragraph “a” has been expunged, the record of conviction shall be removed from the criminal history data files maintained by the department of public safety.

2. a. Except as provided in paragraph “b”, a person who purchases or offers to purchase another person’s services as a partner in a sex act commits an aggravated misdemeanor.

b. A person who purchases or offers to purchase services as a partner in a sex act from a person who is under the age of eighteen, or who is reasonably believed to be under the age of eighteen including a law enforcement officer or agent posing as a minor under the age of eighteen, commits a class “D” felony.

[C97, §4943; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §13173; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, §724.1; C79, 81, §725.1]

2014 Acts, ch 1097, §6; 2015 Acts, ch 30, §195; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §1307; 2025 Acts, ch 97, §3

Referred to in §232.68, 232E.1, 321.375, 725.2, 911.2A

Subsection 2, paragraph b amended

725.2

Pimping.

1. A person who solicits a patron for a prostitute, or who knowingly takes or shares in the earnings of a prostitute, or who knowingly furnishes a room or other place to be used for the purpose of prostitution, whether for compensation or not, commits a class “D” felony.

2. A person who solicits a patron for a prostitute who is under the age of eighteen, or who knowingly takes or shares in the earnings of a prostitute who is under the age of eighteen, or who knowingly furnishes a room or other place to be used for the purposes of prostitution of a prostitute who is under the age of eighteen, whether for compensation or not, commits a class “C” felony.

3. It shall be an affirmative defense to a prosecution of a person under the age of twenty-one for a violation of this section that the person was allowed, permitted, or encouraged by an adult having influence or control of the person to engage in acts prohibited pursuant to section 725.1, subsection 1, while the person was under the age of eighteen.

[C51, §2710; R60, §4352; C73, §4013; C97, §4939; S13, §4975-c; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §13174, 13175; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, §724.2, 724.3; C79, 81, §725.2]

2014 Acts, ch 1097, §7

Referred to in §321.375, 692A.102, 692A.126, 911.2A

725.3

Pandering.

1. A person who persuades, arranges, coerces, or otherwise causes another, not a minor, to become a prostitute or to return to the practice of prostitution after having abandoned it, or keeps or maintains any premises for the purposes of prostitution or takes a share in the income from such premises knowing the character and content of such income, commits a class “D” felony.

2. A person who persuades, arranges, coerces, or otherwise causes a minor to become a prostitute or to return to the practice of prostitution after having abandoned it, or keeps or maintains any premises for the purpose of prostitution involving minors or knowingly shares in the income from such premises knowing the character and content of such income, commits a class “C” felony.

[C51, §2584; R60, §4207; C73, §3865; C97, §4760; S13, §4944-i, -j; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §13179, 13181, 13182; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, §724.7, 724.9, 724.10; C79, 81, §725.3]

86 Acts, ch 1046, §2; 87 Acts, ch 115, §82

Referred to in §229A.2, 321.375, 692A.102, 692A.126, 901A.1, 911.2A

725.4

Leasing premises for prostitution.

A person who has rented or let any building, structure or part thereof, boat, trailer or other place offering shelter or seclusion, and who knows, or has reason to know, that the lessee or tenant is using such for the purposes of prostitution, and who does not, immediately upon acquiring such knowledge, terminate the tenancy or effectively put an end to such practice of prostitution in such place, commits a serious misdemeanor.

[C51, §2712; R60, §4354; C73, §4015; C97, §4941; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §13178; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, §724.6; C79, 81, §725.4]

725.5

Keeping gambling houses.

Any person who keeps a house, shop, or place resorted to for the purpose of gambling, or permits any person in any house, shop, or other place under the person’s control or care to conduct bookmaking or to play at cards, dice, faro, roulette, equality, punchboard, slot machine or other game for money or other thing, commits a serious misdemeanor.

[C51, §2721; R60, §4363; C73, §4026; C97, §4962; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §13198; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, §726.1; C79, 81, §725.5]

Referred to in §709A.1, 725.6, 725.15

725.6

“Keeper” defined.

In a prosecution under section 725.5, any person who has the charge of or attends to any such house, shop, or place is the keeper thereof.

[C51, §2721; R60, §4363; C73, §4026; C97, §4962; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §13199; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, §726.2; C79, 81, §725.6]

Referred to in §725.15

725.7

Gaming and betting — penalty.

1. Except as permitted in chapters 99B and 99D, a person shall not do any of the following:

a. Participate in a game for any sum of money or other property of any value.

b. Make any bet.

c. For a fee, directly or indirectly, give or accept anything of value to be wagered or to be transmitted or delivered for a wager to be placed within or without the state of Iowa.

d. For a fee, deliver anything of value which has been received outside the enclosure of a racetrack licensed under chapter 99D to be placed as wagers in the pari-mutuel pool or other authorized systems of wagering.

e. Engage in bookmaking, except as permitted in chapters 99E and 99F.

2. A person who violates this section is guilty of the following:

a. Illegal gaming in the fourth degree if the sum of money or value of other property involved does not exceed one hundred dollars. Illegal gaming in the fourth degree constitutes the following:

(1) A serious misdemeanor for a first offense.

(2) An aggravated misdemeanor for a second offense.

(3) A class “D” felony for a third offense.

(4) A class “C” felony for a fourth or subsequent offense.

b. Illegal gaming in the third degree if the sum of money or value of other property involved exceeds one hundred dollars but does not exceed five hundred dollars. Illegal gaming in the third degree constitutes the following:

(1) An aggravated misdemeanor for a first offense.

(2) A class “D” felony for a second offense.

(3) A class “C” felony for a third or subsequent offense.

c. Illegal gaming in the second degree if the sum of money or value of other property involved exceeds five hundred dollars but does not exceed five thousand dollars. Illegal gaming in the second degree constitutes the following:

(1) A class “D” felony for a first offense.

(2) A class “C” felony for a second or subsequent offense.

d. Illegal gaming in the first degree if the sum of money or value of other property involved exceeds five thousand dollars. Illegal gaming in the first degree constitutes a class “C” felony.

[C51, §2723; R60, §4365; C73, §4028; C97, §4964; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §13202; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, §726.3; C79, 81, §725.7]

83 Acts, ch 187, §34; 89 Acts, ch 296, §88; 2019 Acts, ch 132, §40, 45, 46

Referred to in §81.1, 99D.24, 99F.15, 725.15

725.8

Wagers — forfeiture.

Property, whether real or personal, offered as a stake, or any moneys, property, or other thing of value staked, paid, bet, wagered, laid, or deposited in connection with or as a part of any game of chance, lottery, gambling scheme or device, gift enterprise, or other trade scheme unlawful under the laws of this state shall be forfeited to the state and said personal property may be seized and disposed of under chapter 809.

[C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §13203; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, §726.4; C79, 81, §725.8]

Referred to in §725.15

725.9

Possession of gambling devices prohibited — exception for manufacturing.

1. “Antique slot machine” means a slot machine which is twenty-five years old or older.

2. “Gambling device” means a device used or adapted or designed to be used for gambling and includes, but is not limited to, roulette wheels, klondike tables, punchboards, faro layouts, keno layouts, numbers tickets, slot machines, pachislo skill-stop machine or any other similar machine or device, push cards, jar tickets and pull-tabs. However, “gambling device” does not include an antique slot machine, or any device regularly manufactured and offered for sale and sold as a toy, except that any use of such a toy or antique slot machine for gambling purposes constitutes unlawful gambling.

3. A person who, in any manner or for any purpose, except under a proceeding to destroy the device, has in possession or control a gambling device is guilty of a serious misdemeanor.

4. This chapter does not prohibit the possession of gambling devices by a manufacturer or distributor if the possession is solely for sale out of the state in another jurisdiction where possession of the device is legal or for sale in the state or use in the state if the use is licensed pursuant to either chapter 99B or chapter 99G.

[S13, §4965-a; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §13210; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, §726.5; C79, 81, §725.9]

85 Acts, ch 32, §118; 86 Acts, ch 1052, §3; 90 Acts, ch 1062, §2; 2003 Acts, ch 178, §117, 121; 2003 Acts, ch 179, §142; 2007 Acts, ch 38, §9, 10

Referred to in §99A.1, 99B.53, 99B.62, 725.15

Possession of gambling devices, see chapter 99A

725.10

Pool selling — places used.

Any person who records or registers bets or wagers or sells pools upon the result of any trial or contest of skill, speed, or power of endurance of human or beast, or upon the result of any political nomination or election, and any person who keeps a place for the purpose of doing any such thing, and any owner, lessee, or occupant of any premises, who knowingly permits the same, or any part thereof, to be used for any such purpose, and anyone who, as custodian or depositary thereof, for hire or reward, receives any money, property, or thing of value staked, wagered, or bet upon any such result, shall be guilty of a serious misdemeanor.

[C97, §4966; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §13216; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, §726.6; C79, 81, §725.10]

Referred to in §709A.1, 725.15

725.11

Bullfights and other contests.

Repealed by 2004 Acts, ch 1056, §9, 10. See chapter 717D.

725.12

Lotteries and lottery tickets — definition — prosecution.

1. If any person makes or aids in making or establishing, or advertises or makes public a scheme for a lottery; or advertises, offers for sale, sells, distributes, negotiates, disposes of, purchases, or receives a ticket or part of a ticket in a lottery or number of a ticket in a lottery; or has in the person’s possession a ticket, part of a ticket, or paper purporting to be the number of a ticket of a lottery, with the intent to sell or dispose of the ticket, part of a ticket, or paper on the person’s own account or as the agent of another, the person commits a serious misdemeanor. However, this section does not prohibit the advertising of a lottery or possession by a person of a lottery ticket, part of a ticket, or number of a lottery ticket from a lottery legally operated or permitted under the laws of another jurisdiction. This section also does not prohibit the advertising of a lottery, game of chance, contest, or activity conducted by a not-for-profit organization that would qualify as tax exempt under section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code, as defined in section 422.3, or conducted by a commercial organization as a promotional activity which is clearly occasional and ancillary to the primary business of that organization, provided that the effective dates on any promotional activity shall be clearly stated on all promotional materials. A lottery, game of chance, contest, or activity shall be presumed to be a promotional activity which is not occasional if the lottery, game of chance, contest, or activity is in effect or available to the public for a period of more than ninety days within a one-year period.

2. A commercial organization shall not conduct a promotional activity that involves the sale of pull-tab tickets or instant tickets, as defined in section 99G.3, coupons, or tokens that are not authorized by the Iowa lottery authority and that may represent a chance to win a cash prize to be paid on the premises where the chance to win such prize was obtained. This subsection shall not be construed to prohibit a commercial organization from giving away pull-tab tickets, instant tickets, coupons, or tokens free of charge as part of a promotional activity, provided that the other provisions of this section are complied with. For purposes of this subsection, “cash” means United States currency.

3. When used in this section, “lottery” shall mean any scheme, arrangement, or plan whereby one or more prizes are awarded by chance or any process involving a substantial element of chance to a participant, and where some or all participants have paid or furnished a consideration for such chance.

4. For the purpose of determining the existence of a lottery under this section, a consideration shall not be deemed to have been paid or furnished where all or substantially all entries representing chances to win are submitted by means of the internet or the United States mail or by similar delivery method to the person or persons conducting the lottery, game of chance, contest, or activity prior to any prize being awarded, and where one or more of such chances to win may be obtained by participants where no purchase or payment is required to enter or win. In all other cases, a consideration shall be deemed to have been paid or furnished only in such cases where as a direct or indirect requirement or condition of obtaining a chance to win one or more prizes, some or all participants make an expenditure of money or something of monetary value through a purchase, payment of an entry or admission fee, or other payment or the participants are required to make a substantial expenditure of effort; provided, however, that no substantial expenditure of effort shall be deemed to have been expended by any participant solely by reason of the registration of the participant’s name, address, and related information, the obtaining of an entry blank or participation sheet, by permitting or taking part in a demonstration of any article or commodity, by making a personal examination of posted lists of prize winners, or by acts of a comparable nature, whether performed or accomplished in person at any store, place of business, or other designated location, through the mails, or by telephone; and further provided, that no participant shall be required to be present in person or by representative at any designated location at the time of the determination of the winner of the prize, and that the winner shall be notified either by the same method used to communicate the offering of the prize or by regular mail.

5. Upon request of the Iowa lottery authority or the division of criminal investigation of the department of public safety, the attorney general shall institute in the name of the state the proper proceedings against a person charged in such request with violating this section, and a county attorney may, at the request of the attorney general, appear and prosecute an action when brought in the county attorney’s county.

[C51, §2730; R60, §4377; C73, §4043; C97, §5000; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §13218; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, §726.8; C79, 81, §725.12]

85 Acts, ch 33, §125; 89 Acts, ch 48, §1; 2005 Acts, ch 81, §1; 2006 Acts, ch 1010, §160

Referred to in §725.15

725.13

Definition of bookmaking.

“Bookmaking” means advancing gambling activity by accepting bets upon the outcome of future contingent events as a business other than as permitted in chapters 99B, 99D, 99E, and 99F. These events include but are not limited to the results of a trial or contest of skill, speed, power, or endurance of a person or beast or between persons, beasts, fowl, motor vehicles, or mechanical apparatus or upon the result of any chance, casualty, unknown, or contingent event.

83 Acts, ch 187, §35; 89 Acts, ch 67, §27; 2019 Acts, ch 132, §41, 45, 46

725.14

Exception for state racing and gaming commission and pari-mutuel betting.

This chapter does not prohibit the establishment and operation of a state racing and gaming commission and pari-mutuel betting on horse or dog races as provided in chapter 99D.

83 Acts, ch 187, §35

725.15

Exceptions for legal gambling.

Sections 725.5 through 725.10 and 725.12 do not apply to a game, activity, ticket, or device when lawfully possessed, used, conducted, or participated in pursuant to chapter 99B, 99E, 99F, or 99G.

[C75, 77, §726.11; C79, 81, §725.15]

85 Acts, ch 33, §126; 86 Acts, ch 1125, §5; 88 Acts, ch 1136, §2; 89 Acts, ch 67, §28; 2003 Acts, ch 178, §118, 121; 2003 Acts, ch 179, §142; 2016 Acts, ch 1073, §179; 2019 Acts, ch 132, §42, 45, 46

725.16

Gambling penalty.

A person who commits an offense declared in chapter 99B to be a misdemeanor shall be guilty of a serious misdemeanor.

[C51, §2721, 2730; R60, §4363, 4377; C73, §4026, 4043; C97, §4962, 5000; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §13198, 13218; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, §726.1, 726.8; C75, §99B.9, 726.1, 726.8; C77, §726.14; C79, 81, §725.16]

92 Acts, ch 1203, §20; 2003 Acts, ch 147, §4, 7

725.17

Protection money prohibited.

Any officer or employee of this state, or of a county, city, or judicial district who asks for, receives or collects any money or other consideration for and with the understanding that the officer or employee will aid, exempt, or otherwise protect another person from detection, arrest or conviction of any violation of this chapter or chapter 99B commits an aggravated misdemeanor.

[C77, §726.15; C79, 81, §725.17]

725.18

Collection service prohibited.

Any person who knowingly offers, gives or sells the person’s services for use in collecting or enforcing any debt arising from gambling, whether or not lawful gambling, commits an aggravated misdemeanor.

[C77, §726.16; C79, 81, §725.18]

725.19

Gambling by underage persons.

1. Any person under the age of twenty-one years shall not make or attempt to make a gambling wager, except as permitted under chapter 99B. A person who violates this subsection commits a scheduled violation under section 805.8C, subsection 5, paragraph “a”.

2. A person who knowingly permits a person under the age of twenty-one years to make or attempt to make a gambling wager, except as permitted under chapter 99B, is guilty of a simple misdemeanor.

2004 Acts, ch 1136, §57; 2009 Acts, ch 88, §4

Referred to in §99B.27, 805.8C(5)(a)