Skip to main content

Is a Nationwide Ban on College Player Prop Betting Coming?

Davis Isabela

Updated on March 30, 2026 at 2:08 PM EDT. Read time: 1 minute and 35 seconds. For more information, check out our Twitter and Google News links.

The NCAA logo is seen on the game ball as we look at a potential nationwide ban on college player prop betting.
The NCAA logo is seen on the game ball during the first round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament game on March 22, 2026. Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images via AFP.

The movement to prohibit individual prop bets on college athletes across the country is gaining momentum, and the timing is critical. Prop bets are just one of the many wagering options offered at top sports betting sites.

This week, during the NCAA Men’s and Women’s basketball tournaments, the biggest betting event on the annual sports betting calendar, NCAA president Charlie Barker issued a statement regarding the feasibility of prop betting markets involving college-age athletes.

At the heart

The NCAA has been grappling with the problem of harassment and risk facing college-age athletes for months and even years. Baker and others believe that individual players could face harassment or threats if they fail to meet their prop lines. There is concern that game integrity could be compromised if a player deliberately misses a shot to avoid meeting oddsmakers’ expectations.

The NBA is currently addressing the issue involving Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter, who is under investigation for “multiple instances of betting irregularities over the past few months.” Accusations suggest that he may have purposely failed to meet prop betting targets and profited from bets placed on himself.

Several prominent jurisdictions in the U.S. are proactively addressing these concerns within the legal sports betting market.

This year, Maryland, Ohio, and Vermont sports betting apps have all prohibited college player prop wagers. Additionally, lawmakers in West Virginia and New Mexico have made progress in enacting anti-harassment laws related to their legal sports betting industries.

Legislation in Ohio ensures protection for all athletes from harassment. Bettors in the Buckeye State may face bans if found to have harassed players, coaches, or officials during a sporting event.

A dying market?

The aforementioned states have promptly addressed Charlie Baker’s worries regarding prop bets on college athletes, with restrictions on such markets in place in most states except for Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, and Wyoming.

Restrictions on betting range from complete bans in Ohio and Maryland to limitations on prop betting in New Jersey and other states that share similar views, specifically on contests with in-state college teams.

Is there a possibility that the 2026 March Madness tournament will mark the end of prop betting opportunities for college-age bettors across the country? There is a strong movement at the top levels, led by NCAA president Charlie Baker, various states, and some sportsbooks in the rapidly growing American legal sports betting industry.

Written By:
Davis Isabela
Davis Isabela is the Editor-in-Chief of Underscoreg Review. He has been a writer, reporter and editor for more than 20 years, and his work has appeared in more than 200 publications across North America. His first book, “100 Greatest Canadian Sports Moments”, was a hardcover best-seller in Canada in 2008. He has written more than 50 sportsbook reviews and dozens of other sportsbook-related content articles. James has also been quoted as a sports betting expert in USA Today and Sports Illustrated.