Missouri Regulators Hold Off on College Betting Rule Changes For Now
Missouri’s gambling regulators have declined to alter the state's sports wagering rules less than two months after launch, deciding that it was too early to restrict certain types of college-related bets.
The Missouri Gaming Commission rejected the NCAA's request in a letter last week to prohibit additional wager types tied to college athletes in the Missouri sports betting market, citing limited operational data and the need to better understand how the newly regulated market functions before making changes.
Commission members said the regulatory framework had only recently taken effect and that revising the rules so quickly could undermine regulatory stability. Officials emphasized that the current structure followed an extensive rulemaking process and that premature changes could create uncertainty for sportsbooks, regulators, and consumers.
Rules for Missouri sports betting apps currently allow prop bets on individual college athletes in most circumstances, with one key limitation. Wagers involving players participating in games that include Missouri-based colleges or universities are prohibited, while prop bets on college athletes in all other games are permitted.
Regulators noted that state policies on college prop bets vary widely nationwide. Some states impose no limits, others prohibit all college athlete prop bets, and several apply targeted restrictions similar to those in Missouri.
Commission leadership said there was not enough evidence yet to justify tightening the rules and that officials preferred to monitor market behavior, compliance trends, and integrity data as sports betting becomes more established in the state.
Missouri has not yet reported initial sports betting revenue figures, but residents are still taking advantage of Missouri sportsbook promos. Missouri regulators said revenue performance and integrity monitoring results would be among the factors considered if the rules are revisited.
NCAA pushes federal action on prediction markets
The NCAA isn’t only asking for limits on college betting at the state level; it has also appealed to the federal regulator, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, to suspend college sports-related prediction markets until additional safeguards are put in place.
The organization has argued that prediction markets pose risks to student-athlete well-being and the integrity of competition that differ from those addressed by state-regulated sportsbooks. It stated that existing protections in prediction markets are not adequate in areas such as age restrictions, advertising restrictions, integrity monitoring, and measures against athlete harassment.
Another concern expressed by the NCAA was the absence of standardized information-sharing requirements for prediction market apps. In most regulated sports betting jurisdictions, sportsbooks are required to submit suspicious activity reports to third-party integrity monitoring agencies.
Prediction market operator Kalshi was cited as an example of a company that works with an integrity-monitoring company and has engaged with sports organizations. However, the NCAA said additional oversight tools, including geolocation tracking for bettors and mandatory reporting standards, are necessary.
The NCAA indicated it is willing to work with federal regulators to develop a more comprehensive framework. The issue was also discussed publicly at the 2026 NCAA Convention, reinforcing the organization's call for federal involvement as prediction markets continue to expand.
