New York State Gaming Commission Weighs Ban on Player Prop Bets

Player prop bets could soon be outlawed in New York after state gaming regulators signaled they are re-examining their legality in the light of a string of federal prosecutions.

The New York State Gaming Commission has since notified all professional sports leagues that it is considering new rules on player prop bets, including a potential outright ban. In a letter to leagues, the commission cited recent allegations, investigations, and prosecutions involving the manipulation of player performance. 

"The recent allegations, investigations and prosecutions that have come to light have caused the Commission to re-examine all individual player proposition wagers that are game specific, as well as single game specific multi-leg individual player parlays," the letter read. 

The regulatory review follows proposed legislation from the Chair of the State Assembly Committee on Racing and Wagering, Carrie Woerner. Her bill, A9636, would limit legal sports wagers to outcomes, scores, or winners, effectively banning player prop bets and in-play wagering. 

Woerner added that the measure would position the New York sports betting market as a leader in responsible betting. 

Other lawmakers have introduced bills to address betting-related harassment of athletes and officials, as well as bills to restrict in-play betting. New York already outlaws betting on in-state college teams and high school sports.

Concerns over prop bets have intensified following a series of high-profile cases. Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn indicted NBA players Terry Rozier and Damon Jones in October for alleged roles in illegal betting schemes involving insider information. 

In 2024, the NBA issued a lifetime ban to Jontay Porter for disclosing inside information and manipulating his performance to benefit prop wagers. More recently, federal cases have implicated professional baseball players and dozens of college basketball athletes in alleged micro-betting and game-fixing conspiracies.

Missouri regulators decline NCAA request to restrict college prop bets

While New York regulators consider tighter prop bet rules, gambling authorities overseeing the Missouri sports betting market have taken a different approach. The Missouri Gaming Commission has rejected a request from the NCAA to ban prop bets on college athletes, maintaining that the current ban on wagers on in-state college games is enough. 

Missouri launched legal sports betting on Dec. 1, and Missouri Gaming Commission chair Jan Zimmerman said regulators lacked sufficient data to justify changing the rules so soon after launch. 

The NCAA has argued that college athlete prop bets are particularly vulnerable to manipulation, citing a recent federal indictment centered on Division I basketball players. NCAA President Charlie Baker has urged states nationwide to eliminate collegiate prop bets, a move already adopted by states including Louisiana, Maryland, Ohio, and Vermont.

Sports betting operators and industry groups have pushed back, however, arguing that regulated sportsbooks help detect suspicious activity and that bans could drive bettors toward illegal offshore markets with fewer consumer protections.