Waiting For The Other Shoe To Drop
The NCAA scored its first victory on college prop bets, convincing Ohio to prohibit the wagers. Ohio's action is likely the beginning, not the end.
The Bulletin Board
NEWS: Ohio prohibits prop bets on college athletes.
BEYOND the HEADLINE: Is prop betting a Trojan Horse to a blanket ban on college betting?
NEWS: Alabama’s efforts to legalize sports betting, casinos, and a state lottery run into a roadblock in the Senate.
BEYOND the HEADLINE: Alabama group calls gambling expansion bill “corrupt casino amnesty bill.”
WEEKEND CATCHUP: Venetian Poker Room; PLN 2024 Schedule
AROUND the WATERCOOLER: SNL takes aim at sports betting ads.
STRAY THOUGHTS: Milestones.
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Ohio Prohibition on Prop Bets on College Athletes
In what should be a surprise to no one, Ohio has chosen to prohibit prop bets on individual college athletes. The news was relayed in a letter from the Ohio Casino Control Commission.
While not the news the industry wants, this is not a game-changer. The prohibited bets account for 1.35% of total bets in Ohio.
Per the letter:
“During 2023, licensed sports gaming proprietors reported roughly $7.65 billion in wagers generating a total of $936,942,255 in sports gaming receipts (or taxable revenue). By comparison, the $104,604,320 in wagers that would not be permitted under the Draft Criteria would only constitute 1.35% of the total amount of sports wagers made in Ohio in 2023.”
As noted, this is not a surprise. The decision has been several months in the making.
The NCAA has made prohibiting prop bets on individual athletes a core policy position.
The first inklings came in November 2023, when newly appointed NCAA President Charlie Baker told CBS Sports that he sees prop betting as a serious concern, “… just putting myself in the shoes of a young person who’s on a campus who has a friend or two that come up to them and say, you know, I love you.”
In January, Baker doubled down on prop betting during his first State of College Sports address, where he mentioned increasing threats to college athletes.
The organization has even sent requests to sports betting states, and it found sympathetic ears in Ohio.
“One year into sports gambling in Ohio, we have seen a marketplace develop where a number of bad actors have engaged in unacceptable behavior by making threats against student-athletes in Ohio and across the country,” Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said in a statement of support for a prop betting ban in February.
Now, the ban is a reality.
The big question I have is, when does the other shoe drop? I expect more states to follow suit on player props. Still, I’m also waiting for the (inevitable?) advertising crackdown - which may get some added attention after this weekend’s SNL skit (see the Around the Watercooler section below).
Beyond the Headline: A Trojan Horse?
Former Ohio State Rep. Dan Dodd had some interesting thoughts on the prohibition, calling it a slippery slope to a larger ban.
“The mistake in this sentiment, which has been voiced by others, is 1. thinking the NCAA will stop at prop bets and 2. thinking the CCC won’t agree with them and use the exact same reasoning to ban wagers on all college athletics,” Dodd said on X. “If prop bets end 3/1, March Madness starts, and mean tweets continue, why wouldn’t the NCAA ask to ban all bets?”
“The NCAA is not appeased by this. This was a test case and they will undoubtedly press for a full ban on all college athletics both in Ohio and outside of it. Given lack of oversight in the process, operators are helpless to change it absent a change in rules/statute.”
Alabama’s Gambling Expansion Bill Runs Into Opposition
After breezing through the House of Representatives, the Alabama gambling expansion bill that includes mobile sports betting has run into rough seas in the Senate.
Sen. Greg Albritton told AL.com the votes to pass the legislation aren’t there… yet.
Albritton said that he believes a majority approve of the bill, but not enough to meet the 3/5 threshold for a constitutional amendment.
Time is short, but there is time. Per AL.com, “Tuesday is the seventh meeting day of the legislative session, which can last up to 30 meeting days spread over up to 15 weeks.”
The opposition appears to be centered on the casino portion of the measure.
“The bill that they want, where it’s a constitutional amendment with accompanying enabling legislation, has at this point and time at least 19 no’s. They can’t pass it,” State Sen. Sam Givhan said during an appearance on WVNN’s The Dale Jackson Show, as reported by 1819 News.
Givhan, who is anti-casino, believes there is another option: a lottery without casinos and, by extension, no sports betting. Givhan also brought up the possibility of a filibuster should the need arise.
Democrats are more optimistic, with Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton telling reporters, “I give it a 70/30 chance of passing right now.”
Beyond the Headline: The Anti-Gambling Position
In addition to a lack of votes, the expansion package was referred to as the Corrupt Casino Amnesty Bills by the Alabama Policy Institute. The API is the latest organization to voice its opposition to the expanded gambling package, joining The Alabama Farmers Association (ALFA) and the Business Council of Alabama (BCA).
As reported by 1819 News, the API criticized the effort, saying:
“The language proposed in the constitutional amendment (CA) is vague and intentionally positive. It is not a representation of the foils of this proposal and is meant to mislead the public into voting for something they might not support otherwise.”
Zooming in on the sports betting, the API trots out the greatest hits of the anti-gambling crowd:
“The 2024 proposal legalizes the most addictive form of gambling of all: digital sports betting. With sports betting as a component of gambling legalization legislation, any attempted claim that the proposal will curtail or minimize gambling is demonstrably false since online gambling — on sports or anything else — would turn every computer,smartphone, and digital device in the state into a portable casino.
“Digital gambling has long been considered more addictive than conventional gambling and the rate of suicide skyrockets with the increase of problem gamblers. One in five problem gamblers attempt suicide.”
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Weekend Catchup: Venetian Poker Room; PLN 2024 Schedule
The Venetian is planning to unveil a new poker room this summer. The new space will move to the property’s second floor and expand from 35 to 50 tables. The new room will also be designed with poker streams in mind, allowing the property to broadcast final tables and high-stakes cash games.
The Pro League Network has revealed its 2024 PLN Schedule for the company’s unique, niche sports that are approved for betting in a number of locales: World Putting League, CarJitsu Championship, SlapFIGHT Championship, and the new 3x3 basketball league str33t.
Around the Watercooler
Social media conversations, rumors, and gossip.
The abundance and tone of sports betting advertisements turned into one of the better Saturday Night Live skits in a long time, with host Shane Gillis skewering the duality of sports betting marketing.
On the one hand, the skit uses the inspiring music, positive language, and imagery of cash and fireworks so often seen in sports betting marketing before turning melancholy to discuss problem gambling. It then takes a wild pivot that will make anyone chuckle.
And there is also this very good take from former DraftKings and FanDuel employee Dillon Borgida:
Stray Thoughts
I have several milestones to report. First, this is the 150th newsletter since Straight to the Point’s August debut. Since then, the newsletter has amassed over 1,500 subscribers, more than 100 paid subscribers, and is getting 10,000 views per week. These numbers are well ahead of my expectations. Onward and upward.
Also, I’m figuring out the audio editing and plan to post the first Talking Shop podcast this weekend (paid subscribers will get early access).