The Indiana Gaming Commission (IGC) has unanimously rejected an NCAA request to prohibit pregame proposition betting on individual college athletes, leaving the markets available through licensed sportsbooks in the state.
The decision concludes a process that began when the NCAA submitted its petition on March 3. Commissioners considered the request in June but unanimously tabled a decision to allow additional research before returning to the issue at its September meeting.
Indiana already prohibits in-game proposition wagers involving individual college athletes. The NCAA sought to extend that restriction to pregame markets, such as wagers on a quarterback's passing yards or a basketball player's points total.
The NCAA has pursued similar restrictions nationally. In January, NCAA President Charlie Baker called on state regulators to eliminate individual player props and other markets it considers higher risk.
At the time, the NCAA said more than half of the 39 states with legalized sports betting, alongside Washington, D.C., permitted individual college props in some form.
During the Indiana proceedings, the NCAA presented concerns over competition integrity and harassment directed at student-athletes. It also received support for the proposed restriction from Butler University, Indiana University and Purdue University.
NCAA Managing Director of Enforcement Mark Hicks said: "Bottom line, from an integrity perspective, it's easy to manipulate and it's hard to monitor."
The Sports Betting Alliance, which represents operators including bet365, BetMGM, DraftKings, Fanatics and FanDuel, opposed the proposal. It argued that the NCAA had not demonstrated the "good cause" required for the IGC to alter permitted wagering and said restrictions could move activity toward unregulated operators.
Commissioners ultimately concluded that broader concerns around harassment were more appropriately considered by lawmakers. The IGC's B.R. Lane said discussions with regulators in Missouri, Louisiana and Ohio since June had reinforced her view that the issue extended beyond wagering regulation.
Indiana's decision comes during a wider reassessment of online gaming regulation in the state. Earlier this year, lawmakers advanced HB 1052, legislation targeting dual-currency and multi-currency sweepstakes casinos with civil penalties of up to $100,000. The prohibition subsequently took effect on July 1.
The NCAA said in January that Louisiana, Maryland, Ohio and Vermont had prohibited individual college athlete proposition bets through regulatory action since 2024
