House witnesses back restrictions on college player prop bets
Regulation2 min read
Witnesses at a House subcommittee hearing backed restrictions on college player prop bets, citing athlete harassment and concerns about competition integrity. Ole Miss associate professor Daniel Durkin supported eliminating the bets, while Massachusetts Gaming Commission chair Jordan Maynard backed restrictions and said state rules helped mitigate athlete health and safety concerns.
Banning college player prop bets could reduce athlete harassment and concerns about competition integrity, several witnesses told a House subcommittee.
Prop bets should be eliminated, particularly in college sports, Ole Miss associate professor Daniel Durkin said. He pointed to Venmo payment requests following lost wagers and threats from bettors whose parlays failed. He also raised the possibility of a student with a gambling problem pressuring a friend on a basketball team to miss a couple of shots so a player prop bet would pay out without deliberately losing the game.
Massachusetts Gaming Commission chair Jordan Maynard supported restrictions, saying state rules had helped address athlete health and safety concerns. University of Michigan chief mental health officer Lindsey Mortenson said eliminating the bets could reduce the temptation for athletes to alter their performances for bettors.
The NCAA sought a ban on college player prop markets in March 2024, asking gaming regulators and lawmakers in states with legal U.S. sports betting to act. Massachusetts was among a handful of states that took action.
A bill intended to protect athletes from harassment has been introduced, subcommittee vice chair Michael Baumgartner said. Stronger federal oversight could help protect players exposed to risks under differing state laws, Ohio State University’s Cindy Clouner told lawmakers.
Among students living on campus, 67% had placed sports bets and 16% had exhibited problem gambling behaviors, Baumgartner said, citing an NCAA survey. Six percent of students reported losing more than $500 in a single day. The figures were from 2023 and were likely higher today.
Durkin said his research found gambling rates on Mississippi college campuses were as high as at schools in states with fully legal sports betting, despite Mississippi not offering online sports betting. He said prevention should teach students about gambling risks so they can make informed decisions.
The hearing covered financial stress, advertising and prediction markets that allow users aged 18 and older to trade sports event contracts. Maynard said federal regulation of sportsbook marketing could help address advertising concerns. Witnesses discussed illegal offshore operators and the role of federal enforcement in combating them.