The Iowa Department of Public Safety (DPS) has released a statement in response to the Story County Attorney’s Office’s decision to discontinue their prosecution of four sports betting-related cases. The cases revolve around anomalies observed in geo-located data points at athletic facilities associated with NCAA-sanctioned sports teams, which included Iowa State University (ISU) and the University of Iowa (UI). Sportsbooks, adhering to Iowa law, contracted with GeoComply to facilitate geo-location. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), trained by GeoComply, observed irregularities suggesting regulatory non-compliance, criminal activity, or identity theft. Subsequent subpoenas revealed account holders lacked legitimate connections to the flagged locations, indicating potentially fraudulent activity. Search warrants were then obtained and executed on digital devices controlling these accounts. The investigation exposed significant concerns in Iowa’s sports gambling industry, with $2.4 billion in sports bets placed in 2023, 91% online. The probe prompted the closure of nearly 83,000 accounts, revealing inadequate safeguards against fraudulent accounts, prohibited gambling, and identity theft. The investigation led to charges and suspensions of multiple collegiate athletes from the state’s major universities. DPS Commissioner Stephan Bayans says, “I 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.” Bayans defended the agency’s work on the investigation and thanked the many agents who assisted throughout the process.
