The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is currently on the move to push all states within the United States that have legalized sports betting to ban player prop bets on collegiate athletes.
While it has been successful in states like Ohio, Vermont, and Maryland, it seems as though its request in Montana is already dead on arrival. The Montana Lottery Commission addressed a letter on April 3 to the NCAA President, Charles D. Barker, noting that they intend to discontinue college player prop betting.
Montana Lottery Disassociate Self with Harassment Issues Facing Prop Bet on College Students
Last month, Baker started this mission to call on states that still conduct this kind of bet to ban it. The goal is to preserve the integrity of the game and protect student athletes because, across several states, there’s been an issue of harassment of college athletes.
Geoff Zochodne, a Covers sports betting reporter, took to his X account to publish the letter from the Montana Lottery Commission, in which Lottery Director Bob Brown commended Baker for his plight to safeguard student-athletes.
“First, let me thank you and the NCAA organization for taking the time to express your concerns regarding the impact of sports wagering, and more specifically, player prop bets, on collegiate athletes. We are in support of your efforts to reduce the reports of student-athletes being harassed by bettors and the additional efforts surrounding player-athlete interaction in sports wagering,” the letter read.
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Comparing betting activity with other states, the issue of harassment has not been an issue despite its rave nationally. Hence, they do not have any motive to place a ban on college prop bets in the state, at least for the time being.
“Speaking specifically to our state, with Montana’s low population and only two large universities, we can speak confidently that any issues occurring nationally have not been an issue in Montana. Regarding the specifics of player prop betting, it is not in our immediate plans to discontinue college player prop markets offered through our sports book. Montana’s local teams already have a limited number of markets, which we are not inclined to limit further,” the lottery added.
The Montana Lottery also said that despite their firm decision on the matter, they will keep a close eye on the activities surrounding prop bets and hope that other parts of the nation can address the issue and safeguard college athletes.
Montana officially launched sports betting in March 2020, and then Governor Steve Bullock approved it. However, its operational methods are stricter than those of other states. In the Treasure State, online sports betting is only permitted inside a retail location.
The NCAA Brings More States on Board
Last week, the NCAA won another victory when the Louisiana Gaming Control Board (LGCB) implemented a prohibition on college prop bets. Effective August 1st, all college sporting events will be excluded from the state’s official sports betting catalog.
“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,” LGCB chairman Ronnie Johns said.
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