The Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) on Friday granted a request from the NCAA to ban prop betting involving college athletes. Ohio sports betting operators have until March 1 to implement a ban on any bets on “the performance or statistics of an individual athlete participating in a sporting event governed by the NCAA.”
Examples of prop bets include a basketball player's points over/under or a quarterback's passing yards. According to the OCCC announcement, more than 20 states with legal sports betting prohibit or limit player-specific prop bets on college athletes. The OCCC announced the ban three weeks after Baker made a written request to its executive director Matt Schuler, which received support from Ohio Governor Mike DeWine.
“Today's decision by the Ohio Casino Control Commission to prohibit player-specific prop betting in collegiate competitions marks a significant step in protecting the well-being of student-athletes and the integrity of the game,” the president said. of the NCAA, Charlie Baker, in a statement. “I thank the Commission for recognizing the serious threats posed by prop betting and implementing controls to help safeguard the mental health of student-athletes from the risks of sports betting harassment and abuse.”
Schuler agreed with the NCAA's concerns that prop betting on an individual player's performance can lead to bettors harassing athletes, soliciting inside information and attempting to manipulate small events during games.
“I have determined that good cause supports the NCAA's request to prohibit player-specific prop betting in intercollegiate athletic competition because the NCAA's request will safeguard the integrity of sports gaming and will be in the best interest of the public,” he wrote. Schuler in his decision. .
Ohio passed a law in 2023 that aims to ban anyone who threatens athletes with violence or harm from participating in sports games in the state. The OCCC estimates that Ohio sportsbooks received $104.6 million in bets on NCAA player fixtures in 2023, or 1.35% of the total amount wagered last year.
