The Iowa Department of Public Safety has released a statement staunchly defending the Department of Criminal Investigation’s (DCI) against claims of an illegal investigation into sports betting activities involving student-athletes from Iowa and Iowa State. The statement claims the evidence in the investigation was obtained in a “constitutionally permissible manner.”
The statement comes in response to heightened scrutiny surrounding the investigation, with questions raised about its scope and constitutionality. Attorneys on the defense side of the case accused the DCI of employing illegal search methods without first obtaining a warrant, and in doing so violating the student-athletes’ rights to privacy.
The Department of Public Safety’s statement asserted that the department “conferred with legal counsel to ensure lawful access to and the use of the technology” prior to using the tools provided. This enabled Iowa DCI agents to use a software program that tracked online gambling activity within a geofence around Iowa and Iowa State athletic facilities.
The statement also claims that two county attorney offices reviewed all relevant investigative information before making the final decision to file criminal charges against 25 current or former athletes at those schools.
The Department of Public Safety’s statement emphasizes the importance of preserving the integrity of sports competitions and sends a clear message that any potential violations will be thoroughly investigated. It notes that Iowa Code section 99F.7A requires sportsbooks in Iowa to “employ reasonable steps to prohibit coaches, athletic trainers, officials, players, or other individuals who participate in an authorized sports event that is the subject of sports wagering, from sports wagering.”
The statement concludes by saying “ultimately it is up to the courts to decide.”
This case will set a major precedent in the ever-expanding landscape of legal sports betting in the United States. Legal sports betting is active in 38 states plus Washington, D.C. and sports betting in North Carolina is set to launch on March 11. This case shows the growing concern in legal sports betting of how regulation, constitutional freedoms, and athletic participation can coexist.
