Overview
- In a Feb. 10 letter, the Big Ten Student-Athlete Issues Commission urged NCAA president Charlie Baker to push for limits or an outright ban on individual college player prop bets to protect mental health and game integrity.
- Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti publicly supported the request, which was signed by representatives from every conference school.
- The letter describes bettors' abuse targeting players, including an "overwhelming number of death threats" when parlays or individual stat bets lose.
- Citing integrity concerns, the commission referenced a recently unsealed federal indictment alleging more than 39 Division I basketball players on 17 teams conspired with a gambling ring to fix dozens of games.
- Baker has asked the CFTC and state regulators to restrict college player props, with more than a dozen states already imposing some prohibitions while others still allow them and Missouri regulators recently rejecting the NCAA’s request; major operators such as DraftKings oppose a ban.