The head of the Iowa Department of Public Safety issued a statement following the decision of the Story County Attorney’s Office to drop the prosecution of sports betting cases against four Iowa State University athletes.
DPS Commissioner Stephen Bayenssays in the statement the decision to drop the cases is disappointing, as he says Story County repeatedly shared with the Department their belief that the DCI’s actions were legal. The statement says the DCI used geo-location as part of their duty to regulate the sports betting industry, and agents obtained subpoenas after anomalies were observed at athletic facilities.
It says the anomalies were observed at athletic facilities that only individuals associated with NCAA-sanctioned sports teams had access. “This was concerning because sportsbooks must seek to prohibit sports wagering by coaches, athletic trainers and players as required by Iowa law. Also, individuals with access to these facilities would possess insider information, could impact outcomes, and tended to be underage.”
Bayens statement says he “understand why this investigation and the resulting charges have generated so much attention and such strong opinions. We love our college sports here in Iowa, myself included. Had this situation not involved college athletes, the public perception may have been entirely different.”