A statewide ban from prop betting on college athletes through licensed sportsbooks will take effect in Louisiana this summer, according to a local report in The Atlantic. The state said that the ban was issued “for the safety and integrity of athletes.”
Louisiana will institute the ban on August 1, starting at 8AM.
Prop bets involve wagers on how many rebounds or points a basketball player could have or the number of touchdowns or yards that football players might have. With prop bets, players bet on these game aspects “instead of or in conjunction with a game’s outcome or spread.”
Despite the ban on prop bets, Louisiana players can still wager on totals, point spreads and game outcomes. Prop bets that involve “full team statistical outcomes” will remain legal in Louisiana after August, according to the local report.
Louisiana Gaming Control Board chairman Ronnie Johns issued a statement to local news, explaining the motivation behind the restriction.
He commented, “It is the intention of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board to protect the integrity of sports betting as well as the safety and integrity of college athletes.
“We feel that this order accomplishes that goal.”
Louisiana is not the only state that has taken action against prop bets. Colorado, Arizona, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania and Oregon have put regulations in place to restrict prop betting. Maryland, Ohio and Vermont have also recently banned props betting on college sports.
Other states, including Illinois, Connecticut and Iowa have prohibitted props betting for in-state teams.
