The New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) has not had the response it hoped for from sports leagues regarding prop betting.
Last month, the regulator sent a letter to sports leagues around the world requesting their input about the commission potentially eliminating certain betting markets. The NYSGC sent the memo as several U.S. pro and amateur sports leagues deal with gambling-related scandals and infractions.
In the letter, the NYSGC provided over 100 sports leagues with the opportunity to seek the “restriction, limitation or exclusion of certain wagers.”
Lack of input ‘really, really disappointing’
Despite the opportunity to make requests, the NYSGC has received only three responses from the group of sports leagues. The commission revealed that two of the responses came from the NCAA and MLB.
“It appears to me, and to the members of this commission, that most leagues could not care less that their leagues are being subjected to possibilities of manipulation. I find the response from the leagues underwhelming, to say the least, and disappointing to say the most,” said NYSGC Chair Brian O’Dwyer on Monday during a commission meeting.
The chair suggested that the NYSGC could consider taking the matter into its own hands to protect the integrity of competition, as the commission holds the power to dictate what betting markets licensed sportsbooks can offer in the state.
“There may be a time, we’re getting no responses from the leagues and no concerns about the integrity of their processes, but we are concerned about the integrity of their processes,” continued O’Dwyer. “In the meantime, I’m hoping we get a better response and more concern from the leagues. It’s really, really disappointing.”
NCAA & MLB respond to NYSGC amid gambling woes
The NCAA and MLB responded to the NYSGC’s letter after the two sports bodies voiced concerns about player prop markets and the threat of potential game manipulation.
In 2024, NCAA President Charlie Baker urged regulated sports betting markets to prohibit sportsbooks from offering betting markets on college player props. Baker believes that the betting markets can impact the integrity of competition in the NCAA. His sentiment was reinvigorated in 2025 with the NCAA dealing with several gambling-related scandals and violations tied to manipulating the outcome of games and performances. Some of the violations resulted in permanent NCAA ineligibility.
MLB is also dealing with several gambling-related incidents.
In 2024, the league handed a lifetime ban to former San Diego Padres utility player Tucupita Marcano after he violated the league’s betting rules and policies by wagering on MLB markets through a licensed operator. Marcano also bet on international baseball games.
Last year, the league placed Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz on non-disciplinary paid leave for their alleged involvement in a match-fixing scheme that involved the two players allegedly manipulating their own pitches in over 40 games over a two-year period for the purposes of receiving kickbacks.
MLB responded to the alleged match-fixing scheme by working with its operator partners to implement a $200 wager limit on pitch-level markets in regulated states in the U.S. MLB already prohibits its players and staff from any wagering on any type of baseball competition, including college games. The rule applies to MLB umpires, officials and employees of the league and its teams.
“We have heard sports league leaderships’ call for change,” read the NYSGC’s letter. ” One league commissioner called for the reduction or elimination of certain types of player proposition wagers. Another league sought to implement a cap on the amount wagered on the actions of a specific position. These are positive steps, but more can be done.”
NBA’s recent gambling scandals
The NBA has also had several gambling-related issues, and it is unclear whether the league was the third entity to respond to the NYSGC’s letter.
Last year, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier was indicted by federal authorities for allegedly providing insider information to a group of co-conspirators for gambling-related purposes and manipulating his own gameplay. Meanwhile, Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups was allegedly involved in an illegal poker scheme with ties to the Mafia. Billups and Rozier’s investigations are ongoing. Both have pleaded not guilty to their respective charges.
The NBA also handed a lifetime ban to former Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter in 2024 for wagering on league games and for providing insider information to co-conspirators.
