NCAA Head Charlie Baker Pushes for Modifications in Sports Betting Policies
The leader of college sports' regulatory body, Charlie Baker, acknowledges that sports betting has been advantageous for college sports because it increases interest, particularly in less-popular sports like those that aren't as widely watched as football or basketball. However, Baker, who was formerly the governor of Massachusetts and recently joined the NCAA, thinks changes are necessary to safeguard the student-athletes.
During his time as governor, Baker enacted a law legalizing sports betting in his state before moving to the NCAA in March of this year. He differs from his predecessor, Mark Emmert, who maintained his antagonism towards sports betting even after the Supreme Court invalidated a federal law allowing states to establish their own rules regarding gambling.
Although Baker recognizes how regulated sports betting has bolstered the financial health of the NCAA and provided new resources for athletics departments, he worries about the issue of player proposition bets. These wagers focus on specific player outcomes, like "Will Player A miss his first two free throws?"
In a theoretical conversation, Baker mentioned a potential conversation between a player and someone trying to influence a game, in which the player is asked to purposely miss two free throws, promising it wouldn't alter the game's result.
"Prop betting... is one of the things I worry about the most," he told CBS News.
Only a few jurisdictions enable sportsbooks to offer college player propositions. Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, DC, and Wyoming are the states permitting at least some college player propositions.
Solutions Targeting Player Protection
Baker is collaborating with sportsbooks and state legislators to consider potential sports betting reforms across the country. His primary goal is to shield student-athletes from exploitation by unscrupulous individuals seeking to manipulate games for personal financial gain.
He's concerned about prop bets which, in addition to being challenging to monitor, can sometimes lead to substantial payouts stemming from even relatively small bets. With more than 5,800 Division 1 men's basketball games played during the current season, closely monitoring player props is a challenging task.
Prohibited Bettors List
Baker suggests state authorities and sports betting regulators of legal sportsbooks consider establishing a "prohibited bettors list." This database would contain individuals who have previously harassed players or team officials.
However, Baker is also concerned with the current scandal surrounding the Michigan Wolverines' football program. The NCAA is reviewing reports that the team illegally observed their opponents' play-calling by dispatching a dismissed employee to the games of their adversaries, and the Big Ten sent Michigan a notice of potential disciplinary action for transgressing the league's sportsmanship policy.
The University of Michigan countered by disputing the authority of Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti to discipline coach Jim Harbaugh under the sportsmanship policy and urged the conference to use caution when establishing precedents due to the prevalence of dubious practices like in-person scouting and collusion between opponents.
"The conference should act cautiously when setting precedent given the reality that in-person scouting, collusion among opponents, and other questionable practices may well be more widespread than perceived," the letter emphasized.
Read also:
- Remaining contenders down to two in DFB's struggle versus Brazil.
- Law enforcement agencies in various metropolises plan expansive measures for May 1.
- Berlin Transport Senator Schreiner Steps Down over Doctorate Issues
- The Next Development in the DAZN/DFL Billion Euro Controversy
Source: www.casino.org
