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Barely a week after the SAFE Bet Act was reintroduced in Congress, lawmakers are pushing for further legislation to limit sports betting, with a new bill to ban college prop bets now entering the House.
US.- Congressman Michael Baumgartner initially introduced HR 1552, titled the Providing Responsible Oversight and Transparency and Ensuring Collegiate Trust (PROTECT) Student Athletes Act, on February 25 but recently got referred to the US Congress’s Committee on Energy and Commerce.
He plans to introduce a federal ban on wagering related to specific actions or achievements of student athletes in intercollegiate sports. This, he hopes, will protect college students from harassment and coercion, preserving the integrity of the competitions. The bill also designates any violations as breaches of the Federal Trade Commission Act, which addresses deceptive or unfair acts and practices.
Not a Ban on College Sports Betting
Baumgartner, who doubles as chair of the college sports caucus, published a press release in which he spoke extensively about the bill.
“Sports gambling on college campuses has surged in recent years. Student athletes dedicate themselves to their sport and education, and it’s essential that we protect their integrity both on and off the field. This bill doesn’t ban betting on college sports games, but it targets wagers on student athletes’ individual performances.”
“We are witnessing a troubling rise in harassment of college athletes on campuses, as well as an alarming increase in cases of student athletes being coerced into throwing games for financial gain,” he added.
Baumgartner’s bill might also have public support, with a recent Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll showing that 55% of Americans believe that all college sports betting should be banned.
Additionally, NCAA President Charlie Baker recently said in an interview with CBS that the commission is speaking with states and trying to encourage them to ban prop bets in college sports. In 2025, 38 states and the District of Columbia have legal sports betting markets, and college prop betting is allowed in 19 of these states.
SAFE Bet Act Seeking Wider Ban
While Baumgartner’s bill is seeking a ban on college props, New York representative Paul Tonko and Connecticut senator Richard Blumenthal are aiming to ban prop betting at all levels of sports with the SAFE Bet Act.
The Act, which was reintroduced last week, would also see a nationwide ban on sports betting and the establishment of a federal regulatory framework. States would have to submit applications to the US attorney general, with licenses valid for three years.
Blumenthal and Tonko are also proposing heavy restrictions on gambling advertisements, as well as the use of artificial intelligence by operators. Both pieces of legislation are proof of the ongoing push for regulation in a rapidly expanding market.
Source: iGamingBusiness
