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DeWine, Mike

States Eye Limits on Prop Bets as Concerns Grow About Addiction and Integrity

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The rapid growth of legal sports gambling has led to increasing concerns about the mental and financial health of gamblers, as well as the integrity of sports. In response, several states are considering regulations to limit the kinds of bets that can be made. In New Jersey, a proposed bill aims to ban live, in-game bets on individual plays during sporting events, while Ohio's governor has called for a nationwide ban on prop bets. Meanwhile, sports leagues and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) are pushing for restrictions on certain types of prop bets, citing concerns about the well-being of student-athletes and the integrity of the game.

Key Takeaways:

  • New Jersey Assemblymember Dan Hutchison, a Democrat, has introduced legislation to ban live bets on individual plays during sporting events, citing concerns about problem gambling and the integrity of sports.
  • Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has called for a nationwide ban on prop bets, citing the need to protect the integrity of the game and prevent athlete harassment.
  • Sports leagues, including the NFL and NCAA, are pushing for restrictions on certain types of prop bets, such as betting on individual player performances or specific stats.
  • The American Gaming Association contends that a ban on prop bets would drive activity into unregulated markets, while the NCAA says that regulated gambling can detect and prevent misconduct.
  • An estimated 15 states ban prop betting in collegiate sports, while Illinois has banned betting on yellow and red penalty cards in soccer and prop bets on NFL player injuries, player misconduct, and officiating assignments.
  • The Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey reports a nearly 300% increase in calls to its problem gambling hotline since the state launched legal sports gambling in 2018.

Statistics:

  • 38 states and the District of Columbia have operational sports betting markets (Source: American Gaming Association)
  • Andy $30 billion is estimated to be wagered in legal sports betting in the NFL this season (Source: American Gaming Association)
  • 15 states ban prop betting in collegiate sports (Source: American Gaming Association)
  • 1 in 3 high-profile college athletes have received abusive messages from gamblers (Source: NCAA)

Sources:

  • (https://www.assemblydems.com/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=12727)
  • (https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/2537514/2022/01/25/prop-bets-how-to-bet-a-prop-best-prop-bets/)
  • (https://sports.betmgm.com/en/blog/super-bowl-gatorade-color-odds-prop-bet/)
  • (https://casinocontrol.ohio.gov/wps/wcm/connect/gov/616d112b-3c71-4545-b469-e4c859269f79/OCCC+Suspicious+Wagering+Investigation+Ongoing+Release+8-13-25.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CONVERT_TO=url&CACHEID=ROOTWORKSPACE.Z18_K9I401S01H7F40QBNJU3SO1F56-616d112b-3c71-4545-b469-e4c859269f79-pyADS1)
  • (https://governor.ohio.gov/media/news-and-media/governor-dewine-calls-on-casino-control-commission-to-remove-prop-bets-following-mlb-investigation-previous-player-threats)

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