The Wyoming Gaming Commission on Thursday postponed a decision on whether bettors can place props bets on the state’s college athletes amid national debates over athlete harassment and a push from the NCAA.
NCAA President Charlie Baker initiated a campaign in March calling for a national ban on prop bets involving college athletes. and 13 states have enacted such a ban – Maryland, Ohio, Vermont, Arizona, Colorado, New York, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Oregon. Illinois, Iowa and Rhode Island restrict prop bets to in-state teams, and Indiana bans all player props.
The WGC remains undecided on the NCAA’s proposal and is reviewing two options – the “Iowa Solution,” which restricts bets to in-state athletes and the “Ohio Solution,” which bans college props.
“The question remains whether banning prop bets will effectively address harassment issues,” WGC Operations Manager Michael Steinberg said in a paper prepared before the meeting on Thursday. Steinberg also highlighted a lack of empirical data supporting bans in Ohio and Iowa, citing discussions with NCAA and University of Wyoming officials who underscored that not all harassment cases involve betting.
The WGC indicated an interest in exploring other measures to combat athlete harassment.
