Iowa regulator targets sportsbook account sharing after college betting scandal
Hawkeye State gaming commission wades into furore as college players face prison
The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission (IRGC) has proposed new amendments to existing state gaming laws as a response to the deepening scandal surrounding college betting in the state.
On Thursday (August 24), the IRGC published the amendments as part of its regular meeting, with account sharing and underage betting key rule changes proposed by the regulator.
Under the changes, any sportsbook operator must display prominently the following warning concerning the sharing of accounts by registered sportsbook account holders on their respective website or mobile app.
“Each account holder must not share usernames or passwords with other people. Each wager made on an account shall be made by only the registered account holder, and shall not be made on behalf of any other individual,” the rule change states.
The second major rule change attempts to discourage betting by underage individuals by introducing greater specificity into the existing prohibition on persons under the age of 21 placing bets.
“No person shall attempt to circumvent account setup procedures designed to prohibit wagering from individuals under the age of 21. Registered account holders shall not attempt to assist in the placement of a wager by any individual under the age of 21,” the rule change states.
As with the prior account sharing rule change, an operator must display this language prominently on their respective website or app.
The IGRC’s proposed amendments mark the first intervention by the regulator to address the recent scandal involving Iowa State University athletes that began earlier this month with the filing of charges against Iowa State Cyclones quarterback Hunter Dekkers.
Dekkers has been accused of placing 26 bets on Iowa State sporting events and with tampering with records related to the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation’s probe into the incidents.
The quarterback was alleged to have used a DraftKings account to place approximately 366 cumulative online wagers totaling over $2,799, despite being under the legal betting age of 21 when the majority of the bets were placed.
Dekkers reportedly manipulated the transactions to create the appearance that the bets were placed by other people.
The probe has since widened to see charges filed against 14 other college athletes, with individuals from both Iowa State University and the University of Iowa among those potentially facing jailtime.
The group from Iowa State includes starting running back Jirehl Brock, offensive tackle Jake Remsburg, defensive tackle Isaiah Lee and tight end DeShawn Hanika.
The University of Iowa group comprises wide receiver Jack Johnson, former Iowa players Arland Bruce IV and Reggie Bracy, who transferred to Oklahoma State and Troy, respectively, have also been charged, along with Iowa student manager Owen O’Brien.