North Carolina introduces House Bill to ban college prop bets

North Carolina could become the latest state to ban college prop bets following the introduction of House Bill 967 on May 1.

The bill, sponsored by Democrat Marcia Morey, seeks to ban individual prop wagers on college and amateur sports and comes weeks after NCAA president Charlie Baker urged all states to ban college prop bets.

North Carolina’s General Assembly is due to adjourn on July 31, although the bill notes that should it be approved and backed by state Governor Roy Cooper, it would come into effect from July 1.

Alongside a blanket ban on prop bets on students-athletes, the bill also includes a proposal to prohibit in-person wagers at a sports facility “hosting a college sports event before and during the event.”

Several states have already clamped down on the markets, including Arizona, Colorado, Maryland, and Massachusetts, while Ohio recently banned college player prop bets after it was previously allowed – becoming the 25^th state to do so.

Last month also saw New Jersey look to outlaw college prop bets, weeks after Louisiana announced it would suspend the wagering type from August 1, 2024.

Baker’s pressure to rid college sports of prop bets is driven by the attempt to better protect student-athletes and sporting integrity.

In a statement, released in March, he said: “The NCAA is drawing the line on sports betting to protect student-athletes and to protect the integrity of the game – issues across the country these last several days show there is more work to be done.”

North Carolina legalized sports betting on March 11 and took handle of $198.1m in its opening week, followed by handle of $659.3m in the first month.

Gross wagering revenue amounted to $66.5m for the operators in the state in March, which include DraftKings, FanDuel, ESPN Bet, and Underdog Sports.