Ohio Bans NCAA Player Prop Bets: ‘Good Cause’

Ohio College Player Prop Bans: Changes Go Into Place on Friday

Ohio bettors will no longer be allowed to wager on NCAA player prop bets.

Matthew Schuler, executive director of the Ohio Casino Control Commission, addressed a letter Tuesday to NCAA president Charlie Baker and the state’s legal betting operators saying such bets have been banned. Here is what we know about the Ohio college player props ban.

‘Best Interests of the Public’

This ban follows Baker’s request earlier this month, who had expressed multiple concerns about the ability to bet on college player props, including a “significant increase” in the harassment of student-athletes on Ohio campuses due to betting.

“I have determined that good cause supports the NCAA’s request to prohibit player-specific prop bets on intercollegiate athletics competitions because the NCAA’s request will safeguard the integrity of sports gaming and will be in the best interests of the public,” Schuler’s letter wrote.

“First and foremost, the occurrences of an increase in the harassment of student-athletes based upon their performance or statistics in an intercollegiate athletics competition presents a clear and present danger to the best interests of Ohio.”

Baker and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine — who legalized sports betting in Ohio before its launch in January 2023 — both issued statements applauding the decision.

“Today’s decision by the Ohio Casino Control Commission to prohibit player-specific prop bets on collegiate competitions marks a significant step in protecting student-athlete well-being and game integrity,” Baker said. “I thank the Commission for recognizing the serious threats posed by prop bets and implementing controls to help safeguard student-athlete mental health from the risks of sports betting harassment and abuse.”

Said DeWine: “Amending rules to focus bets on the team and away from individual athletes will improve the marketplace in Ohio and properly focus betting attention on the teams.”

Dismissing Risks

Approximately $104.6 million was wagered on college player props in Ohio in 2023, according to Legal Sports Report, accounting for 1.35% of the total handle. A majority of those were on college football and basketball props.

Eight licensed sportsbooks operators objected to the ban, expressing concern that it will only foster more illegal gambling activity. Schuler, however, downplayed that risk, stating he believes the threat of a “black market boom to be low.”

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Ohio bettors will still be allowed to wager on the outcome of collegiate games, including the spread, moneyline, and Over/Under totals. Prop bets for professional sports also remain unaffected.

The NCAA also requested that specific team props, such as overall passing or rushing yards, be removed. The reason is that such props are overly dependent on the performance of a single player.

Operators in Ohio have until Friday to fully implement the restrictions and void any outstanding bets in the affected market.

Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith was a big supporter of this push, saying previously in a statement that collegiate athletes “should not be faced with harmful threats, and changing the wagering rules in Ohio can help put an end to this.”

Last January, Dayton men’s basketball coach Anthony Grant expressed dismay over hateful, gambling-related messages that both he and his players received. Grant suggested the attacks came from people upset about gambling losses.

“There’s some laws that have recently been enacted, that really to me — it could change the landscape of what college sports is about,” Grant told reporters. “And when we have people that make it about themselves and attack kids because of their own agenda, it sickens me.”

Reassessing the Landscape

While 38 U.S. states now offer some form of legalized sports betting, 13 prohibit college player props for single games, and 10 do not allow college player props for in-state schools.

That one of the country’s most prominent sports betting markets enacted this change could reverberate through the industry. The NCAA has already expressed its concerns with player props, which could cause other legal sports betting states to act accordingly.

Ohioans wagered $7.6 billion on sports alone in 2023. While some operators are obviously disappointed in Schuler’s Ohio college player prop ban, it should not have too much of an effect on future handles.

Altogether, Ohio has 20 licensed online sportsbooks and more than a dozen land-based sportsbooks. Bettors are allowed to wager on several different collegiate sports, with basketball and football among the most popular.

Stay tuned for more updates on the Ohio college player props ban.

For betting picks today, odds analysis and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.


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