NCAA President Charlie Baker has announced a firm stance against sports betting, particularly concerning player proposition (prop) wagers in the wake of an ongoing investigation into alleged game-fixing involving Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter.
This move comes amidst a surge in gambling controversies plaguing professional leagues like the NBA and MLB.
Baker made the declaration on Wednesday, emphasizing the NCAA"s determination to combat threats to the integrity of collegiate athletics posed by prop bets.
The NCAA announced this morning that they are officially seeking to ban all player prop bets from college sports.
"The NCAA is drawing the line on sports betting to protect student-athletes and to protect the integrity of the game." pic.twitter.com/pGNDiuavR1
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) March 27, 2024
In a statement posted on social media, he expressed concern over the rising incidence of harassment directed towards student-athletes due to gambling-related issues.
Prop bets, which allow individuals to wager on specific player statistics rather than the outcome of a game, have come under scrutiny for their potential to compromise the integrity of competition.
The announcement follows revelations from the NBA confirming an investigation into suspicious betting activities surrounding prop bets involving Jontay Porter, prompting the Raptors to sideline him for personal reasons for the third consecutive game.
The NBA isn"t the only league grappling with the fallout from prop betting controversies. Players and coaches have spoken out about the negative impact of such wagers, with instances of social media harassment and threats reported by individuals like Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton and Cleveland Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff.
Earlier this month, U.S. Integrity, a company entrusted by professional sports leagues and college conferences to monitor betting activity, raised concerns about irregularities in wagering during a regular-season men"s basketball game at Temple University.
The NCAA men"s and women"s basketball tournaments, widely known as March Madness, attract substantial betting interest, with an estimated $2.7 billion expected to be wagered legally this year through sportsbooks.
Efforts to curb prop betting on college athletes have gained traction, with gaming regulators in states like Ohio, Vermont, and Maryland already taking steps to remove such bets from online platforms and sportsbooks.
Baker and NCAA officials are actively engaging with regulators in other states, urging them to follow suit in banning prop bets involving college athletes.
In Ohio, for instance, where the NCAA"s request to ban prop bets on college athletes was granted by the Casino Control Commission last month, data revealed that such bets accounted for a significant portion of total wagers, underscoring the magnitude of the issue.
