Maryland Just Banned College Player Props 132-0 — Here’s What That Means for Bettors

In one of the most lopsided votes you’ll ever see in any legislative chamber on any topic, Maryland’s House of Delegates passed House Bill 518 by a vote of 132-0. The bill bans prop bets on college athletes in Maryland, removes credit cards as a payment method for sports betting, and raises the minimum age for daily fantasy sports from 18 to 21.

A unanimous vote. Not a single dissenting vote. That’s a signal worth paying attention to.

What’s Being Banned, Exactly?

Let’s break down the specific provisions of HB 518:

• College player props are banned. A “player prop” is a bet on an individual player’s statistical performance — things like how many points they’ll score, how many rebounds they’ll grab, or whether they’ll record over or under a certain number of assists. These bets are still legal on professional athletes under HB 518, but college athletes are now off-limits for Maryland sportsbooks.
• Credit card deposits are prohibited. If HB 518 becomes law, Maryland bettors will no longer be able to fund their sportsbook accounts with credit cards. They can still use debit cards, bank transfers, PayPal, Venmo, and other methods — just not credit cards. This change is designed to prevent bettors from gambling with borrowed money.
• DFS age limit raised to 21. Daily fantasy sports platforms like DraftKings’ DFS product (separate from the sportsbook) have previously been available to 18-year-olds in Maryland. HB 518 would raise that to 21, aligning it with the age requirement for traditional sports betting.

Why Are College Player Props Specifically Targeted?

This is the most consequential provision, and it’s worth understanding why it happened — especially with a 132-0 vote.

College athletes have been speaking out about the harassment they receive because of player props. Unlike professional athletes who are highly paid and have security teams and publicists, college students playing sports for their university are regularly accessible to the public through social media, on campus, and at games.

When bettors place a prop bet on, say, a college basketball player to score over 18.5 points, and that player has a bad game, those bettors often direct their anger at the athlete directly. Duke’s Isaiah Evans has been among the college athletes who publicly shared the harassment they’ve received from sports bettors after losing prop bets.

NCAA President Charlie Baker has called this situation “brutal” and said it’s “driven by betting.” The NCAA has pushed states to ban college player props as part of its broader responsible gambling agenda.

From a betting perspective, there’s also a legitimate integrity concern. College athletes and their coaches can be more vulnerable to pressure or manipulation than professional athletes because they’re not paid the same way and may be more susceptible to financial inducements.

How Many States Have Already Done This?

Maryland isn’t alone. Several states have already banned or restricted college player props:

• Ohio — Banned in-state college player props
• Vermont — Banned college player props entirely
• Kentucky — House Bill 904, which passed the House, includes a ban on prop bets on in-state collegiate athletes
• Colorado — Has advanced legislation restricting certain betting features

The trend is clear. College player prop bets may be legal on sportsbooks nationally today, but state by state, they’re being phased out. It’s possible that within a few years, college player props will be a very limited product in most of the country.

What About Credit Cards?

The credit card ban is a separate but important provision. Several states and the UK have already banned credit card deposits for gambling, and more are moving in that direction.

The reasoning is straightforward: when you gamble with a credit card, you’re essentially betting with borrowed money. If you lose, you still owe that money to the credit card company — plus interest. This can accelerate problem gambling and create debt spirals that are genuinely harmful.

The practical impact for most bettors is minimal — if you’re depositing with a debit card or bank account, nothing changes. But if you’ve been using a credit card to fund your sportsbook, you’d need to switch methods if this becomes law in Maryland.

What Does This Mean for Maryland Sports Bettors Right Now?

HB 518 has passed the House but still needs to pass the Maryland Senate and be signed by the Governor before it becomes law. That process is ongoing as of late March 2026.

If you’re a Maryland bettor who enjoys college player props, you may want to be aware that this product could be disappearing from your sportsbook app in the near future. And if you’re a recreational bettor who’s never tried college props — maybe this is a sign to just stick to team bets and professional player props, which are safer bets from a regulatory standpoint.

The bigger message from Maryland’s 132-0 vote is that protecting college athletes from gambling-related harassment has become a genuinely bipartisan issue. There’s no political constituency defending college player props — not even the sportsbooks fought this one particularly hard. When legislators vote 132-0 on anything, the writing is on the wall.