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Louisiana is banning licensed sportsbooks in the state from offering prop bets on college athletes.
The ban will go into effect Aug. 1, 2024, at 8 a.m. local time.
“It is the intention of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board to protect the integrity of sports betting as well as the safety and integrity of college athletes,” Louisiana Gaming Control Board chairman Ronnie Johns said in a statement. “We feel that this order accomplishes that goal.”
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Prop bets allow fans to bet on how many points or rebounds a basketball player might have, or yards or touchdowns a football player might have, instead of or in conjunction with a game’s outcome or spread.
Bettors in Louisiana and the 37 other states where sports betting is legal can still bet on the totals, point spreads and outcomes of games. Prop bets on “full team statistical outcomes” will still be allowed in Louisiana.
Vermont, Ohio and Maryland banned college prop bets recently and other states have expressed an openness to bans or an examination of the issue within their states. Colorado, Arizona, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania and Oregon have rules in place prohibiting them. Illinois, Connecticut and Iowa don’t allow them for in-state teams.
Last week, NCAA president Charlie Baker released a statement calling for all states to ban prop bets on college athletes, though Louisiana’s ban had been in the works before Baker’s statement. Baker expressed a desire to protect the integrity of games as well as protecting college athletes from the online harassment that can come their way when bettors’ money is placed solely on their performance.
Multiple college athletes spoke to The Athletic recently about their experiences with online harassment from bettors.
“Oh, yeah, it happens all the time,’’ Purdue center Zach Edey said. “Like after every game, probably.’’
(Photo: Julio Cortez / AP Images)
