PROTECT Student Athletes Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1552 Introduced in House (IH)]

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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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