Iowa AG Moves to Dismiss Lawsuit Filed by Athletes over Gambling Probe

Brenna Bird, Iowa’s Attorney General, reportedly seeks the dismissal of a lawsuit filed against the state by athletes who were accused of placing illegal sports wagers in a massive scandal.

A betting probe in Iowa from September saw more than two dozen current and former athletes face charges over alleged illegal wagers. The athletes were suspected of using accounts belonging to other people to place the bets. While some of the athletes lost eligibility temporarily, others received fines.

However, in an unexpected turn of events, a judge dismissed the outstanding gambling charges against several athletes back in March this year. Upon reviewing the charges and case, the court found out that the collected evidence against the athletes was obtained through tracking software that was misused.

Iowa’s Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) used geo-fencing software to collect the required evidence against the athletes. Regardless of the outcome, the Iowa Department of Public Safety, the agency that oversees the DCI said the evidence was gathered through a “constitutionally permissible manner.”

In light of the court’s decision, a number of athletes in Iowa filed a civil lawsuit against the state and agencies involved in the investigation over reputational damages. In their lawsuit, the athletes accused the state and different agencies of violating their rights. They also claimed that their reputation was damaged.

The Athletes Cannot Expect Privacy for Gambling Accounts That Do Not Belong to Them
Last week, the Iowa Attorney General asked a judge to dismiss the athletes’ lawsuit, as announced by KCCI. Bird said that the betting probe wasn’t in violation of the civil rights of the athletes.

The motion to dismiss the athletes’ civil lawsuit explains that they “had no reasonable or actual expectation of privacy in gambling accounts they didn’t own, and thus can’t sue for violations of those rights.”

Currently, Iowa protects state agencies from legal action. Similarly, agents employed by such state structures are also protected.

Elsewhere in Iowa, a banned player scored a casino jackpot. The self-excluded player allegedly used the name of another person for the documents required to collect the win. Subsequently, the man was arrested while an investigation into the matter was launched.