Three Republican lawmakers in Ohio’s House of Representatives have decried the state’s ban on college player prop bets. They argue that the prohibition is unwarranted, especially now that student-athletes can profit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL).
Last month, the Study Commission on the Future of Gaming in Ohio submitted its findings to the state legislature. The bipartisan group, consisting of 11 lawmakers and state racing and gaming officials, struggled to reach a consensus on supporting online casino gambling and internet lottery games. However, three GOP members of the committee openly supported expanding gambling options for Ohio residents. These options include online slots, table games, and lottery sales. Additionally, the lawmakers voiced their disapproval of the Ohio Casino Control Commission’s (OCCC) ban on player prop bets for collegiate athletes.
The OCCC’s Executive Director, Matthew Schuler, initiated the ban in February at the behest of NCAA President Charlie Baker. Schuler justified the move as a necessary step to preserve the integrity of college sports and to mitigate player harassment, noting that college player props accounted for less than 1.5% of the total wagers on sports in Ohio last year.
Nevertheless, Ohio Representatives Jay Edwards (R-Athens), Jeff LaRe (R-Violet), and Cindy Abrams (R-Hamilton) argue that the ban does little to protect college players. They point out that student-athletes receiving NIL money should be treated similarly to professional athletes. In a policy recommendation, they wrote, “While we understand the circumstances in which this decision was made, we believe it is one that was not needed.”
The lawmakers elaborated, “With the current landscape of collegiate athletics and NIL, players are now being paid to play (and perform) in certain sports. That is no different than any other professional sport. Reports of harassment and potential threats are unacceptable at any stage of athletics. Such acts should be investigated and prosecuted accordingly.”
Their statement continued, “But the response from the OCCC to simply ban prop-betting on individual collegiate athletes looks to solve the problem without addressing the issue. We recommend that the OCCC’s policy be rescinded and prop-betting on college athletes be restored.”
Most states disallow their licensed sportsbook operators from accepting prop bets on college athletes, which typically involve betting on a single player’s performance. Only a few jurisdictions, including Kansas, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, and Washington, D.C., fully allow college player props. New Jersey also permits these bets but excludes players from state-based schools.
This year, gaming regulators and lawmakers in Ohio, Louisiana, Maryland, and Vermont amended their sports betting rules to ban college player props. Baker, who played a significant role in enacting Massachusetts’ sports betting law and is now leading the NCAA, has called player props in college sports “enormously problematic.” He highlighted that college athletes are often surrounded by a significant number of classmates who bet on sports.
