Washington Expands College Prop Bets While Massachusetts Eyes Full Ban
Washington has sent a college prop bet expansion bill to the governor, while Massachusetts advanced a ban on live and prop bets
Sports betting has taken the US by storm, and at the state level, lawmakers and legislatures have been busy deciding how their state will adapt to the ever-changing landscape.
Highlighting just how differently some of those governing bodies are viewing sports betting are two states moving in opposite directions on sports betting prop wagers. Washington has passed legislation to expand college prop bets, while Massachusetts is advancing a bill to ban them outright.
The contrasting approaches continue to highlight a national debate that is far from settled and will continue to be molded from state to state.
Washington Sends College Prop Bet Bill to the Governor
Washington’s Legislature has approved Senate Bill 6137 with comfortable margins in both chambers. The Senate passed the measure 41-8 in early February. The House followed with a 70-26 vote before the Senate concurred on March 10. The bill now heads to Governor Jay Inslee.
Washington currently permits sports betting only at tribal casinos. SB 6137 maintains that framework but expands what tribal sportsbooks can offer on college games. Under the bill, operators may accept wagers on collegiate sporting events, including those involving Washington teams. However, specific restrictions remain in place.
The legislation prohibits bets on individual athlete performance at Washington colleges. It also bans wagers on coaching decisions such as substitutions or timeouts, and on officiating decisions in games involving Washington schools. The bill explicitly forbids placing wagers using non-public information and criminalizes bribery, threats, or harassment directed at athletes, coaches, or officials.
The bill’s passage comes as the NCAA has called for a nationwide ban on college athlete prop bets. Several recent point-shaving scandals have intensified that pressure. Washington’s move runs against that current.
Massachusetts Advances Sweeping Prop Bet Prohibition
Massachusetts lawmakers are taking the opposite approach. The Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies has reported Senate Bill 302 favorably and referred it to the Senate Ways and Means Committee.
If enacted, the bill would prohibit both in-play wagers and all proposition bets. Sportsbooks in the state would be largely restricted to traditional straight bets placed before games begin. Supporters argue the legislation is necessary to address the economic, health, and social consequences of expanded betting formats.
The bill also includes a set of consumer protection measures. Bettors wagering more than $1,000 per day or $10,000 per month would undergo affordability assessments to ensure those amounts do not exceed 15% of their available funds. The legislation would also restrict certain sportsbook marketing practices and expand data collection on betting behavior to support addiction research.
The push follows a recent Massachusetts Gaming Commission rule requiring sportsbooks to notify bettors within 48 hours when limits are imposed, explain the reason, and identify the affected markets. That rule does not prohibit operators from limiting winning bettors but increases transparency around the practice.
A National Trend Taking Shape
Washington and Massachusetts represent two poles of a debate playing out in legislatures across the country. Most states are moving toward restriction rather than expansion.
Several states have already enacted bans on college athlete prop bets: Vermont, Ohio, Maryland, and Louisiana. Utah went further this session, passing HB 243, which clarifies that prop bets fall under the state’s definition of illegal gambling. New York lawmakers introduced a bill targeting player props and live bets similar to the Massachusetts measure. New Jersey has active proposals targeting college props, micro bets, and play-by-play wagers.
Other states considering similar restrictions include Colorado, Kentucky, Minnesota, and Louisiana, where bills could expand existing college prop bet prohibitions. In Indiana, a comparable measure was introduced this session but did not advance past committee.
Washington’s bill stands out as one of very few measures that actually expands prop betting options tied to college games. It does so while stopping short of allowing individual athlete props at in-state schools, a line most states appear unwilling to cross. Whether Governor Inslee signs the measure will signal how much appetite remains for expanding betting options even in a narrowly targeted form.
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