The rapid expansion of legal sports betting now encompasses 39 states and Washington, D.C., all since the repeal of PASPA in 2018. Each state has crafted its own unique legislation that governs what types of sports are allowed to be wagered on and the means by which locals can place a bet.
Some states have adopted laws that prohibit wagering on local college teams. Sportsbooks located in Delaware, Maine, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Hampshire, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington D.C., Washington, and Wisconsin will not allow you to gamble on the results of any NCAA teams that are based in their respective regions.
Massachusetts has a similar restriction but lifts it for tournament games in which area teams are involved. Connecticut only allows for NCAA futures betting, while Illinois only allows wagering on local college sports at in-person sportsbooks.
Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Ohio, Oregon, New York, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia ban prop bets on college sports, regardless of where the team is based.
Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, and Wyoming are the only states that offer unrestricted betting options for programs located in-state.
On Tuesday, a US Senate hearing was held to discuss the rise in sports betting in the USA. NCAA president Charlie Baker testified at the hearing and proposed a federal ban on college props.
“We believe that when bettors can’t gamble on college athletes’ individual performances, they’re far less likely to attempt to scrutinize, coerce or harass student-athletes,”
NCAA President Charlie Baker
Reports of player intimidation and potential stat shaving form Baker’s rationale. NCAA athletes have been threatened and harassed for money by gamblers who lost money wagering on their player props.
Unlike pro players who are wealthy and can isolate themselves from society, college athletes must attend classes and be accessible to the rest of the student body.
Another factor is the inordinate number of bettors in the 18-24 male demographic. Upwards of two-thirds of college-aged males partake in sports betting,
Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut has introduced the “S.A.F.E. Bet Act.” This bill will abolish college prop bets at the federal level, impacting all current legal sports betting states and any that pass regulations for sportsbooks in the future.
The bill will also limit gambling advertisements during sporting events, eliminate bonus bet promotions, and curtail specific banking options like credit cards.
The “S.A.F.E. Bet Act” does not appear to have much support at this Republican-led congress.
