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A national report on sports betting’s effect on college athletics includes a clear West Virginia takeaway: the state has passed a measure requiring bettors who harass student-athletes to be banned from sports wagering.
The broader issue, according to the NCAA, is that the spread of legal sports betting and player prop wagers has made individual college athletes targets for angry bettors. NCAA President Charlie Baker called betting-linked harassment a “particularly urgent” issue for college sports and said it was the top concern raised in his meetings with athletes.
Player prop bets have expanded the pressure on athletes
The CNS Maryland report says online platforms offered nearly 21,000 chances to bet on individual athletes during this year’s NCAA men’s basketball tournament. An analysis by the Shirley Povich Center for Sports Journalism and the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism found more than 300 player-prop wagers per game on average, with nearly 1,000 available during the men’s Final Four.
That type of betting can shift frustration onto a single player instead of a team result. NCAA managing director of enterprise risk management Clint Hangebrauck said the organization has tried to eliminate player prop bets because they “put a direct target on the back of student-athletes.”
The NCAA also launched its “Draw the Line” awareness campaign in March 2024, using videos and webinars to encourage athletes to report abuse to coaches and athletic department officials.
Survey data and state limits show a broader policy response
In March 2026, the NCAA reported that one in three men’s basketball players surveyed said they had experienced online, verbal, or physical abuse tied to sports betting.
States have responded in different ways. The report says 15 states have banned prop betting, including Maryland, New York, and Ohio. More than a dozen states and the District of Columbia have also imposed restrictions such as limits on wagers involving in-state teams.
For West Virginia readers, the notable point is that the state is specifically identified as having adopted a measure requiring sports bettors who harass student-athletes to be barred from wagering in the state.
What West Virginia players should watch
The source report did not identify any new West Virginia enforcement action or additional rule change beyond that measure. But the national debate around college player prop bets, athlete harassment, and state-by-state restrictions appears likely to remain active as the NCAA continues lobbying lawmakers and promoting its athlete-protection campaign.
If you or someone you know is struggling with gambling, help is available through problem gambling support resources.
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Source: As reported by cnsmaryland.org.
