An effort to prohibit wagering on college player prop bets in North Carolina stalled out.
House Bill 967, which was introduced by Rep. Marcia Morey, would have disallowed wagering on college player prop bets. The effort to ban the player prop wagers was inspired largely from the NCAA’s recent push to urge state regulators and legislatures to prohibit the bets.
The NCAA believes wagering on individual college player props, such as how many rebounds a basketball player will record in a game, can increase harassment directed at athletes and lead to game integrity concerns. Morey was particularly interested in bolstering athlete protections.
“Elite college and amateur athletes already experience immense pressures to excel in competition from intrinsic desire,” Morey, a former Olympic swimmer, said in a press release following her introduction of the legislation. “This bill aims to prevent potentially harmful extrinsic pressures from those who put financial bets above the enjoyment of athletic competition.”
Despite the NCAA’s push for a ban, North Carolina’s sports betting market is expected to still allow for legal prop bets entering college football season.
“[House Bill 967] is unlikely to move this year as the Senate and House adjourned last week,” Morey’s legislative assistant, Hannah Smith, told Sports Handle via email.
State legislators are still expected to meet in a limited capacity before the end of 2024, but HB 967’s lack of previous movement indicates it won’t become law this session.
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While North Carolina isn’t expected to ban the prop bets, other states have followed the NCAA’s push. Vermont are among the states to recently implement a prohibition on college player prop betting.
Louisiana will implement a college player prop betting ban on Aug. 1.
Other states didn’t need an NCAA push. Numerous states, including Virginia, even have bans on wagers involving in-state programs.
It’s possible more state regulators or legislators look into the issue later this year or in 2025.
Don’t expect all states to comply with the NCAA’s request, though. Banning college prop bets doesn’t guarantee a reduction in athlete harassment – players are often harassed for how their individual performance impacted a team outcome – or game integrity issues. Some state legislators and regulators will want to keep the offerings, especially without concrete proof that banning player props reduces harassment or bolsters game integrity.
