The North Carolina General Assembly is debating a new sports betting bill that would ban prop bets on college and amateur sports of all types and remove the option from local sportsbooks.
NC joins a growing list of sports betting states that have opted out of prop bets locally, and it won’t be long before the trend engulfs the entire nation.
Pro Bet Prohibition In NC
NC H967, a bill to prohibit prop bets on college and amateur sports, would make it illegal for sportsbooks in North Carolina to create odds for in-game outcomes that don’t involve the point spread, overall winner, or the over/under.
Props mostly involve statistical over/under totals for players but can encompass anything that the sportsbook decides to create a line for. These types of wagers are being scrutinized because the player can directly impact the betting outcome.
For example, if a prop is offered for a player earning a certain number of points in a game, the player could easily adjust their performance to ensure their total is under expectations.
While this situation may seem outlandish, it has already happened in the NBA this season. Jontay Porter of the Toronto Raptors was permanently banned from the league for deliberately taking himself out of games to impact the outcome of prop bets.
Domestic sportsbooks caught on to the scheme because of the abnormal amount of money that had been wagered and won on the Porter-related props.
Lawmakers want to remove the potential for stat shaving at the college and amateur level because the low-income status of many student-athletes could tempt them to accept a bribe.
What Else Is In The Bill?
Also included in House Bill 967 is language that would limit in-person betting at sportsbooks that are inside college stadiums. No bets would be allowed beginning eight hours prior to the beginning of the game.
Mobile sportsbooks are now available domestically in NC, so none of this is terribly important. However, these in-stadium sports betting venues may be forced to close due to the limitations.
If passed, this sports betting bill would become effective on July 1, 2024.
Will Offshore Sportsbooks Continue To Offer NCAA Props?
In short, yes. Offshore sports betting sites will continue to offer prop bets on any college game popular enough to create a line for. There is a chance that international sportsbooks will adopt a non-prop policy as well because they are susceptible to the same exposure when players alter in-game outcomes.
For now, gamblers in NC can enjoy college and amateur prop bets at their local books. If this bill passes, offshore will be the only option for NCAA props in NC starting July 1st.
