Bill Details
HR.1552 - 119th Congress
Status
Latest action
2025-02-25 - Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Introduced Date
2025-02-25
Policy Area
Sports and Recreation
Committees
View committees (1)
6
0
0
AI Summary This summary was generated by AI from the bill text. AI can get information wrong.
This bill would ban sports books and other betting businesses from taking bets on specific actions or achievements by college athletes during intercollegiate sporting events. These are the kinds of wagers that focus on one student athlete’s performance, rather than just the final score or outcome of the game. The bill says the federal government should step in because college sports betting crosses state lines and can affect both the sports industry and the well-being of student athletes. It would also give the Federal Trade Commission the power to enforce the ban, treating violations as unfair or deceptive business practices.
- It covers bets on whether a student athlete will or will not do something in a college sports event, if that action does not directly decide the final result of the game.
- Any person or company in the business of betting or wagering would be barred from accepting these kinds of prop bets.
- The Federal Trade Commission would enforce the rule using its normal powers under consumer protection law.
- Congress says the goal is to protect student athletes, support fair play, and keep college sports betting standards consistent across states.
Official Summaries
No summaries available
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1552 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1552
To prohibit proposition bets made with respect to the performance of a
student athlete, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 25, 2025
Mr. Baumgartner introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To prohibit proposition bets made with respect to the performance of a
student athlete, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Providing Responsible Oversight and
Transparency and Ensuring Collegiate Trust for Student Athletes Act''
or the ``PROTECT Student Athletes Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) The practice of sports betting, including proposition
bets involving the performance of student athletes, constitutes
a substantial part of interstate commerce.
(2) Sports betting activities are conducted across State
lines by various means, including online platforms and physical
betting establishments, that involve participants from multiple
States.
(3) The economic impact of sports betting on
intercollegiate sports extends beyond State borders and affects
the national economy, including through revenue relating to
advertising, broadcasting rights, and other commercial
activities linked to intercollegiate sports.
(4) Ensuring the welfare of student athletes is a national
concern and regulation of betting practices, particularly those
involving the performance of student athletes, is essential to
safeguard the integrity, well-being, and educational
environments of such athletes.
(5) The Federal Government has the authority under the
Commerce Clause of the Constitution to regulate interstate
commerce and, given the interstate nature of sports betting,
Federal regulation is warranted to maintain consistent
standards and protect the interests of student athletes.
SEC. 3. PROHIBITION ON PROP BETS INVOLVING STUDENT ATHLETES.
(a) Prohibition.--No individual or entity engaged in the business
of betting or wagering may accept any bet or wager that includes a
covered prop bet.
(b) Enforcement by Federal Trade Commission.--
(1) Unfair or deceptive acts or practices.--A violation of
this section shall be treated as a violation of a regulation
under section 18(a)(1)(B) of the Federal Trade Commission Act
(15 U.S.C. 57a(a)(1)(B)) regarding unfair or deceptive acts or
practices.
(2) Powers of commission.--The Federal Trade Commission
shall enforce this section in the same manner, by the same
means, and with the same jurisdiction, powers, and duties as
though all applicable terms and provisions of the Federal Trade
Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.) were incorporated into
and made a part of this section. Any person who violates this
section shall be subject to the penalties and entitled to the
privileges and immunities provided in the Federal Trade
Commission Act.
(c) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Covered prop bet.--The term ``covered prop bet'' means
a bet or wager on the occurrence or non-occurrence, with
respect to an intercollegiate sporting event, of an action or
achievement by a student athlete that may or may not have a
direct bearing on the final result of any such sporting event.
(2) Intercollegiate sporting event.--The term
``intercollegiate sporting event'' means a sporting event
played at the collegiate level for which eligibility
requirements for participation by a student athlete are
established by a national association for the promotion or
regulation of college athletics.
(3) Student athlete.--The term ``student athlete'' means an
individual who engages in any intercollegiate sporting event.
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