As the NFL and college football seasons gear up to start, the Tennessee Sports Wagering Council (SWC) has issued a reminder that might cool some jets: proxy wagering is a no-go in the state. For those looking to have another place your bets, or for anyone thinking of becoming a bookie, tread carefully, because these acts are straight-up illegal under Tennessee law, and they come with consequences—including jail time on the first offense, as per the Tennessee Sports Wagering Council.
According to the Tennessee Sports Wagering Council, Executive Director Mary Beth Thomas underscores the risks, saying that "those who wager on behalf of another in Tennessee directly contribute to an unsafe environment that can lead to risky gambling behavior as well as sports integrity and age-related issues."
With an NCAA survey indicating that 58 percent of young adults aged 18-22 have dabbled in sports betting, and the stringent NCAA rules against it for prospective and current student-athletes, the legal and personal stakes are high — the promise of easy money may come at the cost of eligibility or worse.
Tennessee takes sports betting seriously, especially as the state boasts the title of the largest "online-only" sports betting market in the U.S., with an estimated 1.5-2 million bettors placing wagers totaling above the $4 billion mark each year through online channels legalized and monitored by the SWC.
