Could Ohio ban college sports prop bets? Mike DeWine, NCAA president Charlie Baker support
Ohio sports bettors may soon lose the ability to place prop bets on collegiate sports.
The NCAA sent a letter to the Ohio Casino Control Commission Jan. 31 to request ending collegiate prop betting after months of discussions and reports of social media threats made to and about collegiate athletes.
Bettors would still be allowed to place wagers on overall outcomes and final scores of collegiate games, including outright winners, over/under totals and spreads. These rule changes would not change prop bets involving professional sports contests.
According to a statement released Friday, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and NCAA president Charlie Baker expressed support for ending prop bets on collegiate events.
“One year into sports gambling in Ohio, we have seen a marketplace develop where a number of bad actors have engaged in unacceptable behavior by making threats against student-athletes in Ohio and across the country,” DeWine said in a statement. “By amending rules to focus bets on the team and away from individual athletes, I believe we can improve the marketplace in Ohio and better protect student-athletes from unnecessary and potentially harmful threats.”
Baker echoed DeWine, saying collegiate athletes are being "harassed" by bettors online.
"Sports betting without appropriate controls poses real risks to the well-being of student-athletes and to the integrity of collegiate competition – risks which are heightened by individual prop bets,” Baker said in a statement.
Baker later thanked DeWine for "acting quickly to protect student-athletes and game integrity while responsibly regulating the growing sports betting industry in Ohio.”
Ohio State AD Gene Smith supports ending college prop bets
Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said he shared DeWine's and Baker's opinions on the proposed change.
“I absolutely support Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and NCAA President Charlie Baker and their efforts to change Ohio’s sports wagering rules,” Smith said in a statement. “Collegiate athletes should not be faced with harmful threats, and changing the wagering rules in Ohio can help put an end to this.”
How much did Ohioans bet in 2023?
According to the Ohio Casino Control Commission, Ohio bettors wagered $7.6 billion on sports in 2023 resulting in $963 million in taxable revenue for Ohio.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Mike DeWine supports potential Ohio ban of college prop bets
