Indiana panel to weigh NCAA ban on college player prop bets

The Indiana Gaming Commission will consider a request from the NCAA to prohibit proposition wagers on individual college athletes at its June 25 business meeting. The commission agenda lists “College Athletics Proposition Bets” and notes an “NCAA Request for prohibition against proposition bets per Ind. Code §4-38-9-4(b).”

In a January letter, NCAA President Charlie Baker outlined concerns about these markets, citing athlete harassment, solicitation of insider information and the risk of spot-fixing. The letter referenced a point-shaving scandal that involved 39 players at 17 schools and added that “player prop bets are more susceptible to manipulation because a single athlete can influence the outcome of a wager without affecting the contest.”

Indiana law provides a path for sports governing bodies to seek wagering restrictions. Under Ind. Code §4-38-9-4, a sports governing body may request that the commission prohibit wagering on a particular event or wager type, and the commission must grant the request if the governing body demonstrates good cause. The commission will discuss the NCAA petition at the June 25 meeting in Indianapolis; any final vote or regulatory change would follow that discussion.

States have taken different approaches to college player prop bets. After a 2023 NCAA request, Maryland, Louisiana, Ohio and Vermont implemented bans on wagers tied to individual college athletes. Following the NCAA’s January push, the Missouri Gaming Commission declined to prohibit the wagers, saying it did not have sufficient information for a market that had recently launched. Separate legislative proposals in Louisiana and Colorado to expand bans failed this year; lawmakers in Louisiana cited an estimated $20 million reduction in tax revenue if such bets were barred.

If the commission approves the NCAA petition, Indiana would join the states that restrict wagers on individual college athletes. The commission’s decision will depend on whether the NCAA can demonstrate the good cause required under state law.