Ohio video gaming regulators ban NCAA player props

• David Purdum, ESPN Personnel WriterFeb 23, 2024, 04:27 PM ET

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  • Joined ESPN in 2014
  • Reporter covering gaming market since 2008

The Ohio Gambling Establishment Control Commission (OCCC) on Friday approved a demand by the NCAA to restrict betting on prop bets including college professional athletes. Ohio sportsbook operators have till March 1 to execute the ban on any wager on “a specific professional athlete’s efficiency or statistics taking part in a sporting occasion governed by the NCAA.”

Examples of prop bets consist of the over/under on a basketball player’s points or a quarterback’s passing backyards. More than 20 states with legal sports wagering prohibit or restrict player-specific prop bets on college professional athletes, according to the OCCC’s announcement. The OCCC announced the ban three weeks after Baker made a composed demand to its executive director Matt Schuler, which received assistance from Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine.

“Today’s decision by the Ohio Gambling Establishment Control Commission to forbid player-specific prop bets on collegiate competitions marks a significant step in the protection of student-athlete wellness and game stability,” NCAA president Charlie Baker said in a statement. “I thank The Commission for recognizing the severe risks positioned by prop bets and carrying out controls to assist protect student-athlete mental-health from the risks of sports wagering harassment and abuse.”

Schuler concurred with the NCAA’s concerns that prop bets on individual player performance can cause gamblers bugging professional athletes, the solicitation of expert info and attempts to control small occasions during games.

“I have identified that excellent cause supports the NCAA’s demand to prohibit player-specific prop bets on intercollege athletics competitors since the NCAA’s request will protect the stability of sports video gaming and will remain in the best interest of the public,” Schuler composed in his decision.Ohio passed a law in 2023 that aims to ban anyone who threatens athletes with violence or harm from taking part in sports video gaming in the state. The OCCC estimates Ohio sportsbooks got$ 104.6 million in bets on NCAA player props in 2023, or 1.35%of the overall amount wagered in 2015.