US Congress to Examine College Sports Betting Risks
United States – 11 November 2026 – www.zonadeazar.com The US House of Representatives will hold a hearing on 11 November 2026 to examine the expansion of sports betting on college campuses amid growing concerns about competition integrity, athlete harassment and gambling-related harm.
The hearing, titled “The Rise of Sports Gambling on College Campuses”, will be organised by the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development.
The session follows several legal and regulatory developments that have intensified discussions surrounding sports betting, universities and organisations responsible for overseeing collegiate athletics.
Hearing Scheduled for 11 November
The hearing will begin at 10:15am Eastern Time in Room 2175 of the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, D.C.
The session will be chaired by Republican Representative Burgess Owens of Utah, a former professional American football player.
Democratic Representative Alma Adams of North Carolina will serve as the subcommittee’s ranking member.
The hearing will be open to the press and livestreamed through the committee’s official channels.
Four Specialists to Participate
Official House documentation identifies four witnesses scheduled to participate in the hearing.
They include:
- Lindsey Mortenson: Chief Mental Health Officer and Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Michigan.
- Daniel Durkin: Associate Professor at the University of Mississippi.
- Jordan Maynard: Chair of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.
- Cindy Clouner: Managing Director of the Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Drug Misuse Prevention and Recovery at Ohio State University.
The participation of specialists in mental health, higher education and gambling regulation will provide different perspectives on the issue.
Point-Shaving Case Raises Integrity Concerns
One of the developments contributing to the debate was a federal investigation involving manipulation of results in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) basketball.
In October 2026, Jalen Smith, who was involved in a point-shaving scheme, was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison.
Point-shaving involves deliberately influencing the margin of victory or defeat in a sporting contest to affect the outcome of certain bets.
The case reinforced concerns about the vulnerability of collegiate competitions to manipulation linked to sports betting markets.
NCAA Strengthens Athlete Protection
The NCAA has also introduced measures intended to reduce risks faced by college athletes.
The organisation joined the Bad Actor Program, an initiative designed to identify individuals who harass or threaten athletes through digital platforms.
The mechanism can help prevent those responsible from accessing certain betting services.
The measure aims to reduce harassment that may occur when sporting results affect bets placed by third parties.
Student protection and competition integrity are among the central themes of the wider legislative discussion.
Congress Requests Information from the ACC
On 22 October 2026, Republican Representative Jimmy Patronis of Florida requested information from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) concerning its online gambling policies.
The request focused particularly on the rules applicable to employees, referees and other individuals involved in college athletics.
Patronis linked his enquiry to the ACC’s support for the Protect College Sports Act, a federal college sports proposal that passed the Senate in September.
The lawmaker argued that sporting organisations should provide greater transparency regarding their internal policies and the mechanisms used to oversee gambling activities.
VIP Programmes Also Face Congressional Scrutiny
Congressional concerns extend beyond the integrity of sporting results.
On 22 October, Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal and Representatives Paul Tonko and Valerie Foushee requested information from sportsbook operators and prediction-market platforms.
The lawmakers are seeking to determine whether VIP programmes and commercial incentives used by these businesses could contribute to gambling-related harm.
Their enquiries cover customer acquisition and retention strategies, alongside the potential effects of promotional incentives on consumers.
These issues form part of the wider debate surrounding gambling companies’ responsibilities towards their customers.
Gambling Industry Engages in Legislative Debate
The discussions have also generated lobbying activity among gambling companies and industry organisations.
The American Gaming Association (AGA) is among the organisations reporting significant lobbying expenditure related to these issues.
Its filings include references to the PROTECT Student Athletes Act (H.R. 1552), sponsored by Representative Michael Baumgartner, Vice Chair of the subcommittee.
Meanwhile, FanDuel reported US$150,000 in lobbying expenditure during the first nine months of 2026 related to online sports betting and the Prediction Markets Are Gambling Act.
These activities demonstrate the industry’s interest in participating in discussions about potential legislative reforms.
Sports Betting Expansion Since 2018
The growth of college sports betting is closely linked to the regulatory transformation that began in 2018.
That year, the US Supreme Court struck down the federal prohibition preventing states from authorising sports betting.
The decision allowed individual jurisdictions to establish their own regulated markets.
Since then, wagering on collegiate competitions has become an important commercial activity, although restrictions vary considerably between states.
Some jurisdictions permit betting on certain college sporting events, while others impose additional limitations designed to protect student athletes.
Prediction Markets Create Additional Regulatory Questions
The expansion of prediction markets has also raised questions regarding oversight of contracts linked to sporting events.
These platforms offer products that may resemble traditional sports betting, although operators frequently argue that their contracts fall under federal financial derivatives regulation.
While prediction markets have not been confirmed as a specific subject of the hearing, their expansion forms part of the wider regulatory environment facing the US gambling industry.
Differences between state and federal supervisory frameworks could become relevant in future legislative discussions.
Next Steps and Industry Impact
The 11 November hearing will provide lawmakers with an opportunity to gather information about the risks associated with growing sports betting activity on college campuses.
Issues that could inform future initiatives include athlete protection, prevention of match manipulation, gambling education programmes and operator responsibilities.
The hearing does not itself represent the introduction of new restrictions but provides a forum for examining evidence and considering potential policy responses.
For sports betting companies, the discussions could help shape future regulatory expectations concerning advertising, commercial incentives and competition integrity.
Protecting students and preserving the integrity of college sports are becoming increasingly important priorities in discussions about the future of sports betting in the United States.
Editó: @fonta
