Tennessee legislators are pushing forward new legislation designed to limit access to mobile sports betting in and around public college campuses, fueled by increased scrutiny following a significant betting scandal connected to NCAA Division I basketball games.
House Bill 1768 and Senate Bill 1831, introduced by Rep. John Ray Clemmons and Sen. Jeff Yarbro, seek to ban interactive sports wagering within the physical confines and surrounding areas of public universities. Should these bills pass, they would restrict students and others from legally betting via state-licensed sports betting applications while on or near campus or in nearby residential zones.
In Tennessee, traditional brick-and-mortar sportsbooks are illegal, with betting only permitted through state-approved mobile platforms. This situation may complicate betting access for students at institutions like the University of Tennessee, Belmont University, and Middle Tennessee State University if the proposed restrictions take effect.
The definitions within the bills encompass campus zones that not only include the main contiguous property of the institution but also any non-contiguous or satellite sites utilized for student housing or communal activities within a one-mile radius of the main campus. However, areas dedicated solely to classrooms, administration, or storage are excluded from this definition.
Moreover, the proposed legislation addresses off-campus locations that host collegiate sporting events. According to the suggested provisions, “a licensee shall prohibit such access at the sports venue for the entire calendar day on which such sport or sporting event is conducted,” thereby thwarting betting from those venues as well.
The bills emerge in the wake of the indictment of over two dozen individuals linked to a point-shaving scheme that impacted 17 NCAA Division I men’s basketball programs and games in the Chinese Basketball Association. This scandal has amplified concerns regarding the integrity of college sports and the implications of legalized betting.
In response to similar challenges, NCAA President Charlie Baker has reiterated the association’s stance on disallowing college prop bets. After the scandal broke, Baker reached out to state gambling commissions emphasizing the necessity to eliminate player-specific wagers, with discussions hinting at the removal of first-half over/under bets.
Tennessee ranks among 13 jurisdictions where college prop bets are prohibited. Other states, like New Jersey, Connecticut, and Illinois, impose restrictions on betting involving in-state college teams.
Attempts to loosen betting regulations at the national level have been rolled back as well. A proposed NCAA rule amendment that would have allowed student-athletes to legally bet on professional sports was retracted following resistance from lawmakers and NCAA officials.
Meanwhile, Tennessee legislators have also introduced a measure targeting the prohibition of sweepstakes casinos across the state, specifically aimed at platforms offering casino-style games through virtual currency systems. House Bill 1885, presented by Representative Scott Cepicky, seeks to categorize such enterprises as illegal online gambling and to extend the reach of the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act of 1977.