Revised West Virginia Gambling Legislation Draws Inspiration from Ohio and Maryland Laws
In the realm of sports betting, Ohio is taking a bold step forward in addressing a growing concern – harassment of athletes. The U.S. Integrity monitoring company has been advocating for legislation similar to Ohio's to be implemented in other states, with Wyoming being another state that has already enacted such laws [1][4].
Ohio, which was among the first to ban prop bets on college sports due to harassment concerns, is now pushing for a ban on all sports prop bets [1][5]. This move comes in response to rising harassment and integrity issues exposed by recent investigations involving professional athletes in leagues like Major League Baseball [1][2][3]. Governor Mike DeWine and legislative proposals are calling for stringent regulations and the criminalization of betting-related threats against athletes [2].
Meanwhile, Wyoming is recognised for its early adoption of harassment protections in sports betting legislation. The state leads in such legislation aimed at protecting athletes from betting-related harassment [4]. However, no broad wave of states currently pursuing identical legislation to Ohio's has been identified in the latest data [1][4][5].
While Ohio's sports betting anti-harassment efforts are somewhat pioneering, other states are also taking action. West Virginia, for instance, has recently filed two sports betting bills. One of these bills, HB 4700, gives the West Virginia sports betting regulator the ability to ban bettors who harass athletes, coaches, and officials [6]. Another bill, HB 4019, allows the West Virginia State Lottery Commission to accredit independent tout and handicapper evaluators [6].
SharpRank, a business that specializes in auditing sports wagering content, is hopeful that Maryland's legislation focused on touts will inspire other states to follow suit [7]. The focus of HB 4019 is to better review sports betting content with the goal of filtering out misleading and shady sports betting touts [7]. However, it's unclear what repercussions an operator would face if found to have been sharing misleading sports betting content.
The U.S. Integrity monitoring company has also created an anonymous tipline to track athlete harassment, adding another layer of protection for athletes [8]. As the nation watches Ohio's efforts, it remains to be seen if Ohio's legislation on bettor harassment will catch on nationwide in the near future. The NCAA's active lobbying for more athlete protections could potentially spark a nationwide push for athlete harassment protection bills.
In conclusion, while Ohio and Wyoming are leading the charge, it's clear that the issue of sports betting harassment is gaining attention and action from various states. As more states consider similar bills, the sports betting industry may undergo significant changes to ensure the safety and integrity of athletes.
References:
[1] Ohio Senate Bill 220
[2] Ohio Governor Mike DeWine's Call for Stricter Sports Betting Regulations
[3] Investigations into Harassment of Professional Athletes in Major League Baseball
[4] Wyoming's Sports Betting Harassment Laws
[5] Ohio's Push for a Ban on All Sports Prop Bets
[6] West Virginia's Sports Betting Bills
[7] Maryland's Sports Betting Legislation Focused on Touts
[8] U.S. Integrity Monitoring Company's Anonymous Tipline for Athlete Harassment
Sports-betting lines and handicaps are potential areas of focus in the regulation of sports betting, as Ohio is pushing for stricter regulations to address harassment of athletes [2]. In West Virginia, sports-betting bills have been filed, one of which, HB 4700, gives the regulators the power to ban bettors who harass athletes, coaches, and officials [6]. The sports-analysis firm SharpRank hopes Maryland's legislation focused on touts will inspire other states to enact similar measures [7].
