States Consider Banning College Player Prop Bets After NCAA Request

It appears the NCAA’s request to ban college player prop bets is already gaining traction. The Louisiana Gaming Control Board announced it will enact a new rule addressing the controversial bet type. While the details around the upcoming change have yet to be released, Louisiana is the first state to take action after the NCAA's request. 

The Bayou State is one of over twenty states that allow some form of college prop betting, but it is the first to announce an upcoming change. Other states have signaled that they would consider banning the bet type but have said they won’t act until the NCAA approaches them directly.

Before the NCAA made its plea to ban prop betting, Ohio became one of the largest states to ban college player prop betting. The Ohio Casino Control Commission decided to ban the bet type in February after an uptick in abuse of college athletes. Several schools in the state had players who reported receiving threats and verbal abuse both online and in person.

Maryland followed Ohio’s example just a week later when they announced that sportsbooks would no longer be able to accept college player prop bets on March 1. 

Ban Would Serve a Dual Purpose in Protecting Athletes

The driving force behind the movement to ban player props is to protect college athletes from being threatened by angry bettors. States like Ohio have enacted new laws to place severe consequences for those who verbally abuse athletes, but it has fallen short, leading to the push for a total ban.

In addition to protecting players from outside threats, a ban would also remove the temptation for college athletes to wager on their games illegally. Player-specific props are the easiest for a player to manipulate, which was demonstrated in a current NBA scandal with Jontay Porter.