The Big Ten Student-Athlete Issues Commission has escalated the fight against the darker side of sports gambling by writing directly to NCAA President Charlie Baker.
The commission is demanding a total ban on proposition betting (prop bets) in college sports, citing an alarming rise in player harassment and threats to the integrity of the game.
Integrity and Mental Health at Risk
The letter outlines a disturbing trend where student-athletes are targeted by bettors when individual statistical outcomes are not met. Unlike standard game-winner bets, prop bets focus on specific plays, putting immense pressure on amateur athletes.
“Prop betting exposes student-athletes to increased and aggravated social media pressure and harassment,” the commission wrote. “Many receive angry messages, threats, or public criticism… they are a direct avenue to the overwhelming number of death threats that student-athletes receive if they ‘ruin a parlay.’”
The athletes argued that these wagers create a cloud of suspicion around every play. Even when performance is genuine, the existence of individual-player betting markets can raise doubts about fairness and effort.
A Growing Movement for Reform
NCAA President Charlie Baker has already begun lobbying state gaming commissions to eliminate these markets. While states like Ohio, Maryland, and Louisiana have moved to ban college prop bets, others like Missouri have resisted, citing the youth of their regulated markets.
The Big Ten commission concluded that athletes must be viewed as human beings rather than mere “jersey numbers” or vehicles for gambling revenue. As the NCAA continues its push for a nationwide ban, the voices of the student-athletes themselves have become the most powerful weapon in the debate over the future of collegiate sports integrity.
