House Panel Examines College Sports Betting Risks & Campus Safeguards

Key Highlights

Lawmakers are considering new gambling protections for college students as concerns grow over online betting, financial harm, and threats against student athletes. A recent congressional hearing also highlighted the need for stronger gambling education and prevention efforts on college campuses.

Online Betting & Student Concerns

Members of the House Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development examined the risks of sports betting for college students during a November 11 hearing titled ‘The Rise of Sports Gambling on College Campuses.’ The discussion focused on how easily young adults can place wagers through their phones and why colleges may struggle to identify students who need help. Vice Chair Michael Baumgartner (R-WA) and Rep. Mark Harris (R-NC) were among the lawmakers leading the questioning. Witnesses included University of Mississippi Associate Professor Dr. Daniel Durkin and University of Michigan Chief Mental Health Officer Dr. Lindsey Mortenson.

Dr.  Mortenson explained that harmful gambling can be difficult to spot because it lacks the warning signs associated with substance problems. She emphasized the need for greater attention to gambling addiction and responsible gambling education in mental health training: “Addiction is a subspecialty in mental health counseling and…psychiatry…the very tiny bit of gambling that appears in any curriculum is way outdated and does not reflect the contemporary [online sports betting] era.”

Baumgartner referenced an undergraduate survey released in October that revealed the scope of problem gambling on college campuses. The survey found that 31% of male students and 25% of female students knew someone who had experienced “financial distress or academic fallout from online wagering losses.” Almost half thought their colleges were doing too little to respond. Baumgartner also referenced another study that found “more than one in five students had even used financial aid to place bets.”

Campus Education & Prevention

Baumgartner called for colleges to develop plans to teach students about gambling without building administrative layers. Witnesses urged schools to provide proactive support rather than handle problems after losses mount. A recent Bank of America study found that Gen Z accounted for nearly 50% of online betting activity in July, and the accessibility of mobile wagering means students can place bets from dorm rooms, classrooms, and sports venues with little interruption.

Managing Director at The Ohio State University’s (OSU) Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Drug Misuse Prevention and Recovery Cindy Clouner discussed the school’s ‘You Bet?’ program as a potential model for other colleges. The awareness program addresses gambling without assuming that every participant has a gambling problem. Clouner also pointed to gaps in student health screening, noting that “only 2 percent of college students report ever being asked about their gambling behaviors by a campus professional, compared to 16.6 percent who have been asked about their alcohol or substance use and 37 percent who have been asked about their mental health.”

Dr. Mortenson noted that students who follow sports may believe knowledge of teams gives them an edge. That belief can make fantasy football and other games a path toward more frequent wagering. The testimony highlighted the value of explaining financial harm, changes in behavior, and available campus resources before betting becomes difficult to control.

Athlete Protection & Betting Rules

Several witnesses supported restrictions on proposition bets, which let gamblers wager on moments or individual performances instead of a game’s final result. Durkin said this form of betting can create pressure on college athletes. He described payment demands, pressure to influence play, harassment, and threats.

“Let’s say you’re a college basketball player. There’s a possibility your roommate might get into some gambling trouble and might come to you and say, ‘Hey, I’m not asking you to throw the whole game. Could you just miss a free throw or two?’ ” Durkin theorized. “So that temptation becomes so ever present, particularly if it’s coming from someone they care about.”

Massachusetts Gaming Commission Chair Jordan Maynard pointed to state policies that prohibit college proposition bets and sports betting promotions on campuses while limiting advertisements aimed at people under 21. Lawmakers discussed whether similar rules could help elsewhere. Baumgartner expressed interest in revisiting federal legislation targeting these bets.

The hearing did not produce a nationwide campus policy but highlighted the committee’s focus on examining the dangers of sports gambling and how universities can better equip students to make informed, responsible decisions.