As sports gambling controversies engulf sports, the NCAA is getting proactive.
In a statement released on Wednesday, NCAA president Charlie Baker called for states to ban prop bets involving college players. Such bans are already in place in states including New York, Ohio, Arizona, Colorado and Maryland, but remain permitted in several states including Michigan, Louisiana and Kansas (a full list of each can be found here, via the Action Network).
“Sports betting issues are on the rise across the country with prop bets continuing to threaten the integrity of competition and leading to student-athletes and professional athletes getting harassed,” reads Baker’s statement. “The NCAA has been working with states to deal with these threats and many are responding by banning college prop bets.
“This week we will be contacting officials across the country in states that still allow these bets and ask them to join Ohio, Vermont, Maryland and many others and remove college prop bets from all betting markets. The NCAA is drawing the line on sports betting to protect student-athletes and to protect the integrity of the game — issues across the country these last several days show there is more work to be done.”
With sports betting on the rise, the NCAA is acting to protect student-athletes from harassment and working to protect the integrity of the game – this week shows why it’s so important to act. pic.twitter.com/krATwpS4hZ
— NCAA News (@NCAA_PR) March 27, 2024
Baker’s statement comes amid multiple betting scandals in basketball.
Earlier this week, the NBA opened an investigation into Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter regarding irregularities in his player props. Meanwhile, Cleveland Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff has spoken out regarding harassment he has received as a result of sports betting.
Factor in MLB’s ongoing Shohei Ohtani scandal and multiple gambling-related suspensions the NFL has handed out in recent years and it’s almost impossible to find an aspect of sports that hasn’t been affected by sports gambling in recent months. As evidenced by the NCAA’s efforts in getting prop bets banned in Ohio, the organization has clearly had the matter on its radar. And it would be understandable if the last week alone has added a sense of urgency to those efforts.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.