Tennessee lawmakers introduced two bills in January 2026 to block sports betting apps on public university Wi-Fi networks. The legislation arrives as multiple studies confirm that mobile sports wagering has become widespread on college campuses across the United States, with rates of problem gambling among students running nearly double the national adult average.
Tennessee has moved to restrict sports betting access on public university campuses. Senator Jeff Yarbro and Representative John Ray Clemmons introduced SB1821 and HB1768 in January 2026, bills that would require public universities to block sports wagering platforms through campus Wi-Fi networks.
The timing reflects a broader national picture. Research consistently shows that sports betting has embedded itself into college life at a pace that has outrun both university policy and public health infrastructure.
The Numbers Behind the Trend
The scale of college sports betting in the United States has grown substantially since the Supreme Court's 2018 ruling allowed states to legalize sports wagering. By the end of 2024, 38 states had legalized and operational sports betting. In that same period, the US online gambling market grew from $2.5 billion in 2018 to nearly $20 billion in 2023.
The college demographic sits near the center of that growth. A 2023 NCAA survey of 3,527 students aged 18 to 22 found that 67% of students living on campus had engaged in sports betting, compared to 54% of young adults not in college. The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) estimates that three out of four college students have gambled in the past year in some form, legally or not.
Critically, legal restrictions have not functioned as a meaningful barrier. The NCAA found that 71% of student respondents were either underage or in states where sports betting was not legal, yet 56% of that group still placed bets. Age restrictions and state lines have had limited practical effect in an environment where mobile apps, offshore sites, and VPN tools are all accessible.
Looking ahead, the 18 to 24 age group is projected to carry the highest growth rate in online gambling, with an 11.98% compound annual growth rate beginning in 2026, driven largely by mobile-first app design and social betting features. The global online gambling market is forecast to reach $186.58 billion by 2029. Mobile apps now account for approximately 80% of all online wagering activity.
Tennessee students reflect this national trend. Charlie Sarafian, a senior sports journalism major at the University of Tennessee, described the reach of mobile betting among his peers to The Daily Beacon: "Every guy I know at this school sports bets." He attributed the appeal to immediacy rather than profit: "It's like quick dopamine, the adrenaline rush you get."
What the Tennessee Bills Would Do
SB1821 and HB1768 target network infrastructure rather than legality. If passed, public universities in Tennessee would be required to block connections to sports wagering apps through official campus Wi-Fi systems.
The practical effect is limited. Students retain access through personal mobile data and hotspots. Sarafian noted that sports betting advertisements appear during nearly every commercial break on streaming platforms, sustaining awareness regardless of which network a device is connected to.
The bills are currently under consideration in the Tennessee legislature.
The Offshore Risk
Tennessee law sets the minimum betting age at 21 and requires bettors to be physically located within the state when placing wagers. Licensed operators enforce these conditions through geofencing technology and identity verification software.
Unlicensed alternatives carry different risks. Stephanie Maxwell, deputy director of the Tennessee Sports Wagering Council, described the problem directly: "There are a lot of online sports betting apps and sites that look totally legit, that look just like the ones that are licensed, but they are totally illegal." Offshore platforms skip age verification, accept credit card deposits without consumer protections, and do not safeguard user data under US law.
Maxwell advises bettors to confirm licensing status before registering with any platform. A starting point is a reviewed list of licensed sportsbooks that have been tested and verified — though not all will be available in every US state."
Responsible Gambling for College Bettors: What the Data Says
The same research that documents how widespread college betting has become also documents the costs. The NCPG estimates that 6% of college students meet criteria for problem gambling, a rate nearly double the US adult average. Up to 23% of college students gamble weekly or more. NCAA data from 2024 shows that single-day losses of $500 or more among male student-athletes increased from 2% in 2016 to 5% in 2024.
Problem gambling among college students is associated with academic decline, financial instability, and in the most severe cases, significant mental health consequences. A scoping review published in the Journal of Gambling Studies found a consistent negative relationship between gambling behavior and academic performance across multiple institutions. Only 22% of US colleges and universities have formal policies addressing gambling.
Licensed Tennessee sportsbooks provide tools that address some of these risks. Maxwell confirmed that all approved operators allow users to set deposit limits, session time limits, and spending caps, and to activate self-exclusion periods of varying lengths. Dr. James P. Whelan, a professor at the University of Memphis, is currently working with the Tennessee Department of Mental Health on an outreach program that educates college students on the financial and psychological risks of high-frequency wagering.
Maxwell framed the appropriate relationship with betting clearly: "Think about it as an entertainment, a hobby. It can be a fun thing, and if you like sports, you might find it interesting, but it is not an investment."
For students in Tennessee and across the country, that distinction carries weight. Treating a sports bet as an investment decision is a pattern the data consistently identifies as the entry point to problem gambling behavior. Setting fixed limits before placing any wager, and using only licensed platforms that enforce those tools, is the standard recommendation from both regulators and researchers working in this space.
Anyone experiencing difficulty managing gambling behavior can find tools, limits, and support resources on our responsible gambling page, or contact 1-800-GAMBLER directly.
Sources: The Daily Beacon, iGamingToday, NCAA Sports Wagering Survey (2023), NCAA Student-Athlete Gambling Report (2025), National Council on Problem Gambling, Journal of Gambling Studies
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