- A Florida congressman wants the ACC to disclose their sports betting policies ahead of the House’s consideration of the Protect College Sports Act.
- Rep. Jimmy Patronis specifically wants the ACC to be transparent regarding their betting policies governing employees, referees, and players.
- The Protect College Sports Act focuses on NIL and includes guidelines for athletes participating in sports betting, not as much about bettors themselves.
MIAMI – Congressman Jimmy Patronis sent a letter to ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips requesting clarity on the conference’s online sports betting policies. The request comes as the ACC lobbies for the Protect College Sports Act and asked Congress for help with name, image and likeness (NIL) of college athletes.
“As there has been discussion that the House will consider the Protect College Sports Act, I think it is important to better understand how conferences approach the phenomenon of online sports betting and how it could negatively impact their competitiveness,” said Patronis in his letter to the ACC. “This is particularly relevant given that you are requesting special congressional authority and protections that other organizations don’t get.”
Patronis questions the conference’s protection if sports betting integrity and wants their gambling policies provided before Congress returns in November. That includes policies for players, referees, coaches, and other staff members.
The Senate passed the Protect College Sports Act in late Sept and now the legislation resides in the House for consideration. The bill seeks to establish standards for NIL, revenue sharing, and most notably in this case, the handling of eligibility for student athletes who participated in sports wagering.
What The Bill Would Change For College Betting
While the bill would establish legal protection for athlete penalties for sports betting, it doesn’t do much for bettors themselves. The bill includes future transfer limits, eligibility restriction, and more guidelines to the current NIL landscape of college athletics.
