A Bill to Ban Prop Bets on College Games in Congress

by Lisa Spencer, March 24, 2025

Following the SAFE Bet Act’s reintroduction, another bill has also been introduced in Congress. It seeks to improve safe gambling legislation further and proposes a ban on prop bets on college spots. It is called the Providing Responsible Oversight and Transparency and Ensuring Collegiate Trust for Student Athletes Act (PROTECT Act).

The PROTECT Act and Its Aims

The PROTECT Act is backed by the first-term congressman of Washington, Michael Baumgartner. This new bill has been introduced due to the popularity of sports betting on college campuses. In one of his press releases, Baumgartner said,

Student-athletes dedicate themselves to their sport and education, and it’s essential that we protect their integrity both on and off the field.

The congressman emphasizes that this new PROTECT Act does not aim to ban college sports betting but to remove the option of placing wagers on a college athlete’s individual performance. He is also concerned by the rise in harassment and coercing of college players to intentionally lose for other’s financial gain.

These factors directly affect college students’ performance in sports activities and their studies. Michael Baumgartner has stressed that the new bill aims to protect young minds and their future while allowing bets to be placed on college games without any severe damage to the gambling industry.

If the bill is passed, the Federal Trade Commission would consider violations as unfair business practices and penalize any involved parties accordingly. These penalties can be up to $50,000 per violation, with the possibility of further repercussions for serious offenders.

The president of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), Charlie Baker, expressed earlier last year that prop bets and wagering on college sports as a whole should be prohibited. He also expressed his concern that this would affect students’ performances and cause harassment from unhappy gamblers.

PROTECT Act’s Connection with the SAFE Bet Act

Since the Supreme Court’s ruling in 2018 to legalize sports betting and to pass responsibilities regarding gambling legislation to local governments, there has been a boom in the US’s gambling industry. With it, the risks that come with gambling have also increased. As a response, the SAFE Bet Act was introduced.

A few of the most notable functions of this act include a general prohibition on sports betting except for the states that have already legalized it, better control of advertisement, better affordability and rejection of deposits with credit cards, prohibition of AI in gambling, and the general health of players.

The Providing Responsible Oversight and Transparency and Ensuring Collegiate Trust for Student Athletes Act (PROTECT Act) follows the same general idea of preventing harm and providing a better gambling environment. In particular, it protects college athletes from the adverse effects of these activities by prohibiting wagers based on their performance.