NCAA President Charlie Baker Shifts Perspective Towards Sports Betting
Charlie Baker, who was the NCAA President and the former governor of Massachusetts, has had a change of heart regarding the widespread legalization of sports betting in the United States. He signed the sports betting bill into law in his state back in 2022. However, now he realizes that the rapid expansion of this industry might not have been beneficial for college sports or student-athletes.
Baker commended the growth of college sports betting, as it has led to surges in TV ratings, fan engagement, and revenue for the organization that governs college sports. However, during a recent discussion with Bryan Fischer of FOX Sports, he expressed concerns over player props. These wagers focus on an individual player's performance and increase the likelihood of negative attention from disruptive bettors, potentially putting the integrity of the NCAA tournaments at risk.
Baker pines for a time when sports betting was limited to Las Vegas and laments the way things have changed. When the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 was deemed unconstitutional by the US Supreme Court in 2018, single-game sports betting was no longer confined to Nevada. This led to a complete overhaul of sports gambling laws in the country. As of now, 38 states and Washington, D.C., have enacted legislation permitting some type of sports betting, with 30 of those states offering online betting.
Although many states have either banned or amended their sports betting regulations to exclude player props in college sports, these bets still exist in several jurisdictions. This issue is a primary concern for Baker. He believes that all states should follow in the footsteps of Ohio, Maryland, Louisiana, and Vermont, which have shut down prop betting on college sports. He asserts, "It all has to stop."
Player props on college athletes remain legal in Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, New Jersey, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. In Connecticut, Illinois, and New Jersey, these wagers are not being permitted for college athletes who represent institutions based in those states.
In response to the increasing pressure over fair compensation for student-athletes, the NCAA and the major conferences have come up with a resolution for three ongoing antitrust cases. As part of the agreement, college athletes will start receiving compensation beyond just scholarships from 2025 onwards, while the NCAA will be responsible for paying $2.8 billion to former athletes as back wages. The organization declared, "This is a road map for college sports leaders to ensure this uniquely American institution can continue to provide exceptional opportunities for millions of students."
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