Kentucky and Minnesota lawmakers are considering legislation that would ban prop bets on individual college athletes due to concerns about the impact of sports wagering on game integrity. The proposals would prohibit bets tied to specific player performances in college games.
In Kentucky, Reps. Michael Meredith and Matthew Koch have introduced House Bill 904, an omnibus measure that proposes several updates to the state’s gaming framework. Alongside the ban on in-state individual college player prop wagers, the bill would create a licensing and regulatory structure for daily fantasy sports (DFS) contests.
In Minnesota, a bipartisan group of lawmakers has put forward Senate File 4139, legislation that would legalize online sports betting through partnerships with the state’s tribal gaming operators. The proposal sets out the structure for a regulated market and includes provisions that would prohibit college player props.
The push to restrict betting on individual college athletes has largely been fueled by concerns around game integrity and the well-being of student-athletes. Wagers tied to a single player’s performance can create incentives for manipulation, as individual outcomes are easier to influence than the result of an entire game.
Players in college are obviously younger with lower salaries than professionals, making them more vulnerable targets.
Player safety is also a central issue. College athletes have increasingly reported harassment and abuse on social media from bettors upset about the outcome of specific prop wagers.
New York, Maryland, Louisiana, and Ohio have banned college player prop bets outright. Meanwhile, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, and New Jersey only ban these bets on in-state athletes.
As such, Kentucky and Minnesota are not doing anything unprecedented, but it’s noteworthy because it underscores the heightened scrutiny on player props bets, especially on college athletes, that has become pervasive within the U.S. sports betting industry.
Both proposals must still move through their respective legislative processes before any changes take effect. In Kentucky, HB 904 will be reviewed by legislative committees before lawmakers decide whether to advance it for a full vote in the House and Senate.
Minnesota’s SF 4139 faces a similar path. The bill must clear committee hearings and gain approval from both chambers of the state legislature before it can be sent to the governor’s desk.
If passed, the measures would represent another step in the evolving regulation of sports betting across the U.S., as states continue to scrutinize college props.
