Case Study
Iowa Gaming Association
The Iowa Gaming Association operates the statewide Voluntary Self-Exclusion Program. A confidential list of individuals who have asked to be banned from every commercial casino in Iowa. eWay redeveloped the database application that holds this list to comply with 2017 legal reforms, hardened security to protect the sensitive records, and operates the system on Microsoft Azure for the 19 member casinos that depend on it.
- Industry
- Nonprofit
- Platform
- Custom Application on Microsoft Azure
- Services
- Custom Application Development + Cloud Hosting
- Engagement
- Ongoing
Client Snapshot
About Iowa Gaming Association
- Founded
- 1999
- Scale
- 19 commercial riverboat and racetrack casino members across Iowa
- Website
- www.iowagaming.org
The Iowa Gaming Association is a nonprofit trade association headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa, established in 1999 to represent the state's commercial gaming industry. The IGA communicates timely and accurate information about gaming to its members, the public, and the Iowa legislature.
As part of the industry's comprehensive responsible gaming initiative, the IGA operates the statewide Voluntary Self-Exclusion Program. Through this program, an individual can voluntarily ask to be banned from every commercial casino in Iowa by signing a single form. The program was passed into law by the Iowa legislature and reformed in 2017 to expand the available status options.
The IGA's role in the program is to maintain the confidential list of self-excluded individuals and make it available to all 19 member casinos so that the program can be enforced consistently across the state.
The Challenge
A 2017 reform meant the existing self-exclusion database needed a comprehensive rebuild.
Iowa's Voluntary Self-Exclusion Program lets individuals voluntarily ban themselves from every commercial casino in the state. The IGA operates the database that holds this list. All 19 member casinos consult the database to confirm whether someone has self-excluded, and the program is part of the industry's responsible gaming infrastructure.
In 2017, the Iowa legislature passed reforms expanding the program to four status options: lifetime exclusions issued prior to July 2017, reinstated individuals, 5-year exclusions, and lifetime irrevocable exclusions. The existing database needed structural changes to support these statuses cleanly.
The IGA used the regulatory change as the trigger for a complete redevelopment. The new system needed to comply with current security standards, eliminate vulnerabilities present in the existing application, and continue to give all 19 member casinos seamless access to the confidential records they depend on.
What had to change
Four new status options to reflect the 2017 reform
Complete re-architecture of the database to support the expanded model
Updated security protocols and firewall configuration to current standards
Vulnerability remediation across the application and supporting infrastructure
Seamless real-time access for all 19 member casinos
Migration of legacy exclusion records into the new system without loss
The Solution
A full rebuild on Microsoft Azure with security and seamless access at the center.
eWay won the bid for the comprehensive upgrade and stood up a dedicated team. Work proceeded through five phases: Discovery (requirements study with IGA stakeholders), Design (UX wireframes converted to working HTML, CSS, and JavaScript templates), Development (ASP.NET implementation and database re-architecture), Debugging (functionality and usability testing), and Training (educating all 19 member casinos and IGA staff on the new platform). The final application went live on Microsoft Azure Cloud and transitioned to ongoing maintenance.
Discovery phase: detailed requirements study with IGA stakeholders to capture every workflow the system needs to support
Design phase: UX wireframes and prototypes approved by stakeholders before any code was written
Development: ASP.NET application built on Microsoft Azure with a re-architected database schema for the four-status model
Database migration: legacy exclusion records moved into the new schema with sync verification and no data loss
Updated security protocols, firewall configuration, and vulnerability remediation across the new environment
Enhanced search experience so casino floor staff can confirm exclusion status quickly
Automatic exclusion notifications when statuses change
Training program covering all 19 member casinos and IGA administrative staff
Production deployment on Microsoft Azure with handoff to ongoing maintenance under SLA
Architecture
A glimpse of the stack
Application Framework
ASP.NET MVC with Telerik UI
Frontend
HTML, CSS, JavaScript
Data
SQL Azure (relational) and Azure NoSQL (supporting data)
Cloud
Microsoft Azure Cloud Services with updated security protocols and firewalls
The Outcome
A confidential records system that the program can rely on.
Compliance with current Iowa law
The database supports all four status options from the 2017 reform: lifetime prior to July 2017, reinstated, 5-year exclusion, and lifetime irrevocable. Records flow into the right category from day one.
Sensitive data, properly secured
The application carries personal information about individuals who have voluntarily addressed gambling exposure. Updated security protocols, firewall configuration, and vulnerability remediation protect that data at the standards expected of a responsible gaming compliance system.
Seamless access for 19 member casinos
Casino staff at all 19 member properties can confirm exclusion status quickly through the enhanced search experience. The interaction is fast enough to fit operating workflows while still providing the confirmation that the program requires.
Built for what comes next
The new application runs on a current technology stack with current standards and browser support. As Iowa law evolves and as the program grows, the platform is positioned to extend rather than need another rebuild.
The Self-Exclusion Database is a quiet but essential piece of Iowa's responsible gaming infrastructure. It works because the organizations running the program know their list of exclusions is current, secure, and accessible to every casino in the state. eWay continues to operate the application on Microsoft Azure, with security updates, browser-compatibility maintenance, and incident response handled by the eWay team.
Common questions about this engagement
What buyers ask before engaging us on a project like Iowa Gaming Association
What is the Voluntary Self-Exclusion Program?
The Iowa Voluntary Self-Exclusion Program lets individuals voluntarily ban themselves from every commercial casino in the state by signing a single exclusion form. The signed form gets distributed to all 19 IGA member casinos. The program was created in 2004 and reformed in 2017 to expand the available status options. It is part of the industry's responsible gaming initiative and is recognized in Iowa law.
How do member casinos check the database?
Member casinos access the database through a secure interface that lets them confirm whether an individual on their property has self-excluded. The enhanced search experience built into the new application is designed to make this lookup fast enough to fit casino operating workflows while still providing the confirmation the program requires.
How is the sensitive personal data protected?
The database carries deeply personal information about individuals who have voluntarily addressed gambling exposure. As part of the rebuild, security protocols and firewall configuration were updated to current standards, vulnerabilities in the existing application were identified and remediated, and the new system was deployed on Microsoft Azure with security-baseline configuration appropriate for a responsible gaming compliance system.
What changed in the 2017 reform?
Before 2017, the program offered a single lifetime ban. The 2017 Iowa legislative reform expanded the program to four status options: lifetime prior to July 2017 (existing exclusions before the reform), reinstated (individuals who have completed reinstatement), 5-year exclusion (a defined-period option), and lifetime irrevocable (the strongest option).
What does eWay actually own day-to-day?
eWay operates the Self-Exclusion Database application on Microsoft Azure end to end, including infrastructure, security maintenance, browser-compatibility updates, and incident response under SLA. The IGA continues to administer the program itself; eWay is the technology operator that keeps the database current, secure, and available to every member casino in the state.
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