AMES, IA (KELO) — Iowa State quarterback Hunter Dekkers is accused of gambling on Cyclones sports events, including a football game. He was charged Tuesday with tampering with records related to an Iowa Criminal Division investigation into sports gambling. The criminal complaint said Dekkers placed 366 online bets worth around 28 hundred dollars.

KELOLAND News was in Hawarden in 2019 when Dekkers declared he would play for the Cyclones. Now the former West Sioux standout is accused of betting on at least 26 Iowa State athletic events. Dekkers threw for more than 3,000 yards and 19 touchdowns last year.

He was expected to start again this season. His attorney says he will skip preseason camp. Gambling investigations at Iowa and Iowa State have resulted in criminal charges filed against seven current or former athletes.

Iowa has had full legal online sports betting since January 2021. In South Dakota, it became legal in Deadwood and at tribal casinos in September of the same year.

In South Dakota, a person cannot place bets on high school games or minor league games. Prop bets on individual college athletes are prohibited and so are bets on any game involving athletes from South Dakota colleges.

BetFred sports book at Grand Falls allows sports betting in person and online within Iowa’s border. Grand Falls Betting Supervisor Taury Thoelke says when it comes to Iowa athletes like Dekker there are simple rules, the first is they can’t be under age 21 or…”Be a participant in authorized sports as a coach, player or trainer,” said Thoelke.

Thoelke says it’s hard for the staff at any sports book to enforce those rules.

“Because we don’t know who the players are or coaches or trainers, it would be up to them to be honest and not participate,” said Thoelke.

“I’d venture to say gambling is a big issue in our whole country right now. I remember back in the 80s, FBI agents used to come in and talk to our team, and I was amazed-they used to throw out estimates of what they thought was going on in Iowa City at those times. And I read the other day that it’s 2.5 billion in our state. So it’s in our face, it’s accessible to anybody, and we’ll see what all comes out of this,” he said during an interview on May 12th.

Dekkers is scheduled to appear in court for tampering on August 16th. The 22 year old could face loss of eligibility under NCAA guidelines. Which could mean big disappointment for Cyclone Fans come the season opener on September 2nd.