Prairie Meadows · Altoona

About Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino

Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino is an Iowa-licensed racino at 1 Prairie Meadows Drive in Altoona, Iowa, owned by Polk County, Iowa — a public governmental entity — and operated as a nonprofit corporation. The facility opened in 1989 as a thoroughbred horse racing track (before casino gaming was authorized) and runs 2,000 slot machines, 44 table games, and an 11-table poker room on a 24/7 schedule, with live horse racing, simulcasting, and a sportsbook on site. The Prairie Gold Rewards loyalty program with a diamond tier serves regular guests. The minimum gambling age is 21, regulated by the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission. Phone: (515) 967-1000; website: prairiemeadows.com.

Altoona is in Polk County in central Iowa, approximately 8 miles east of downtown Des Moines via I-80 and US-65. Prairie Meadows is the primary commercial casino destination for the Des Moines metropolitan area (population approximately 650,000) — Iowa’s largest city and state capital. As the only major commercial casino in the greater Des Moines market, Prairie Meadows draws from throughout Polk County and surrounding counties.

The Polk County ownership model is one of the most unusual in US gaming: the casino operates as a public facility with revenues returned to county services, the Iowa State Fair, and agricultural and community programs. Casino revenues have historically been a significant funding source for Polk County’s public infrastructure. Prairie Meadows is operated as a nonprofit corporation under Polk County oversight — a hybrid public-private structure that is essentially unique in American commercial gaming.

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Prairie Meadows

Altoona, Iowa

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Prairie Meadows in Altoona, Iowa

Table Games with Specialty Formats

Prairie Meadows runs 44 table game positions including 21+3, 3 Card Poker, Blackjack, Blackjack Switch, Craps, DJ Wild Poker, Double Draw Poker, Fortune Pai Gow Poker, Free Bet Blackjack, Horseracing, Mini Roulette, Mississippi Stud, Progressive Pai Gow Poker, Roulette, and Simulcasting, alongside 2,000 slot machines.

DJ Wild Poker is a five-card community-card game in which a randomly designated “DJ Wild” card rank makes all cards of that rank wild for that round — creating variable hand structures each game. Double Draw Poker gives players two separate opportunities to exchange cards, rather than the single draw of standard draw poker. Mini Roulette uses a 13-number wheel (0–12). Blackjack Switch deals two simultaneous hands and allows card-switching between them. Progressive Pai Gow Poker adds a progressive jackpot to standard Pai Gow. Free Bet Blackjack funds certain doubles and splits as free bets. Prairie Meadows has one of the widest specialty table game menus of any Iowa casino.

Poker Room

Prairie Meadows’ 11-table poker room spreads NL Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and Tournaments cash games. Confirm current stakes and tournament schedules at prairiemeadows.com.

Live Horse Racing and Racing

Prairie Meadows hosts live thoroughbred horse racing seasonally (typically May through September) with a full simulcasting schedule from tracks nationwide running year-round. The sportsbook handles Iowa sports wagering authorized since 2019. The Des Moines metropolitan market makes Prairie Meadows the highest-traffic horse racing facility in Iowa.

Prairie Gold Rewards Loyalty

Prairie Meadows operates the Prairie Gold Rewards loyalty program with a diamond tier. Members earn points through slot machine, table game, and poker room activity, redeemable for casino and dining benefits. Current enrollment details are at prairiemeadows.com.

★ Editor note

Iowa's largest casino — Polk County-owned, DJ Wild Poker, Mini Roulette, live racing, and the Des Moines metro market

Prairie Meadows is Iowa's most significant casino by multiple metrics: 2,000 machines (largest in the state), the Des Moines metro market (650,000 residents), Polk County public ownership (revenues fund public services), and a table game specialty menu that includes DJ Wild Poker, Double Draw Poker, Mini Roulette, and Blackjack Switch — formats found at almost no other Iowa casino. Live horse racing seasonally and a year-round sportsbook complete the picture. Prairie Gold Rewards has a diamond tier. Confirm current promotions and racing schedule at prairiemeadows.com or (515) 967-1000.

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Priya Sharma

Responsible Gaming Editor