JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Missouri gambling regulators on Thursday rejected a request from the NCAA to restrict bets on the performance of college athletes in response to recent betting scandals, but left open the possibility of revisiting the issue as the state’s fledgling sports betting market gets better established.

The action by the Missouri Gaming Commission came just a week after the NCAA sent a letter to state gambling oversight boards asking them to ban college athlete prop bets – a popular type of wager focused on what individual players will do in a game, like scoring a certain amount of points in basketball or surpassing a particular passing yardage in football. The NCAA also urged states to ban certain other specialty bets, such as wagers on whether a team will trail by a particular point spread at halftime of a game.

The NCAA contends such bets are ripe for manipulation by athletes facing pressure, harassment or bribes from bettors. It pointed to last week’s federal indictment of more than two dozen people for alleged bribery, wire fraud and conspiracy in a scheme that involved more than 39 players on more than 17 NCAA Division I men’s basketball teams attempting to rig more than 29 games.

But Missouri gambling regulators said they didn’t want to change the state’s rules less than two months after legal sports betting launched in the state. Missouri became the 39th – and latest – state to allow sports betting on Dec. 1 under a state constitutional amendment that narrowly won voter approval.

“I just don’t feel that I have enough information to grant a request by the NCAA to prohibit this type of sports wagering, because I don’t know enough yet,” commission chair Jan Zimmerman said.

Legal sports betting has spread quickly across the U.S. since the Supreme Court cleared the way for states to adopt it in 2018. Through the first 11 months of 2025, legal sportsbooks generated $15 billion in revenue, up over 17% from the same period a year earlier, according to the American Gaming Association. Missouri has not yet reported its initial sports betting revenues.

State prop bet rules vary greatly

Prop bets on professional athletes are currently allowed in every state that has legalized sports betting. But states have widely differing rules for bets on college athletes.

More than a dozen states place no limits on collegiate prop bets while nearly an equal number prohibit all such bets. Missouri is among several states that fall somewhere in between. It prohibits prop bets on athletes playing in games involving Missouri colleges and universities but allows them for all other collegiate games.

The NCAA in 2023 began encouraging states to adopt restrictions on bets involving college athletes. Since then, Louisiana, Maryland, Ohio and Vermont have joined the ranks of states banning individual prop bets on college athletes.

NCAA President Charlie Baker said in his recent letter to state gambling regulators that his office “regularly hears concerns from schools and student-athletes across the country on the impacts of sports betting,” including about prop bets.

Sports betting firms oppose restrictions

In written comments to the Missouri Gaming Commission, a sports betting industry group said its members played an integral role in detecting and disclosing to authorities the unscrupulous betting involved in last week’s indictment.

Rather than providing grounds to restrict bets on college athletes, the Sports Betting Alliance said the case highlights how legal sportsbooks can help catch instances of wrongdoing that might otherwise go undetected if people placed prop bets through unregulated bookies.

The alliance – which includes Bet365, DraftKings, and Fanatics Betting & Gaming – argued that the NCAA’s request didn’t meet Missouri’s criteria for regulatory revisions and “should not trigger a radical change” to the state’s new sports betting industry.

Others also expressed opposition to the betting limits backed by the NCAA.

Restricting prop bets on college athletes would drive gamblers to “offshore and illegal operators” with fewer consumer protections, Kansas City sports wagerer Chuck Kucera said in written comments to the commission.

“The NCAA’s efforts would be better directed toward player education, internal compliance, and enforcement of its own rules,” Kucera wrote.

Nebraska guard Braden Frager missed the second half of the Cornhuskers’ 76-66 win over Washington on Wednesday night because of a sprained left ankle.

Coach Fred Hoiberg said Frager would be evaluated on Thursday. His status was uncertain for Saturday’s game at Minnesota.

Frager, the Cornhuskers’ second-leading scorer at 13.3 points per game, came down awkwardly on his foot during a scramble for the ball under the basket and was on the bench in a walking boot in the second half.

“You feel for someone who puts so much time into his craft,” Hoiberg said. “To see him go down like that was tough and see and the emotion that came out. He has a passion for the game and plays with a swagger, and we feel for him but we’ll get through it.”

Frager, who plays 25 minutes per game off the bench, has been one of the breakout stars as the Huskers have gotten off to an 19-0 start and extended their win streak to 23 games with a 76-66 victory over the Huskies.

Frager had two of his best performances in the Huskers’ previous two games, scoring 20 points in a win over Northwestern and a career-high 23 with seven 3-pointers against Oregon.

“Braden has given us a lot this season on both ends of the floor and everybody has to be ready to step up in his absence,” Hoiberg said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf has reaffirmed his commitment to improving his cricketing craft after being left out of the Twenty20 World Cup squad.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) finalised its 15-member squad earlier this week for the ICC T20 World Cup, with former captain Babar Azam making the cut and Rauf and Mohammad Rizwan failing to make it.

Speaking in a special interview in Australia, the 31-year-old fast bowler stressed there was no need for him to feel disappointed if he was not selected for the premier tournament, saying it doesn’t mean the end of his career.

The right-arm fast bowler said that any player would feel regret for missing a major tournament, but added that he was focused on improving his performance.

“Of course, there is disappointment as I was not picked in the T20 World Cup squad,” he admitted. he said. “But my career won’t end. I will keep working hard and focus more on my bowling.”

The Rawalpindi-born bowler said he continued to work on his skills and believed his performances have improved since the Asia Cup. 

Expressing good wishes for the national team playing the T20 World Cup, the fast bowler said he hopes the side performs strongly in the tournament.

Replying to a question regarding criticism, Rauf said there is a clear difference between constructive criticism and personal abuse. He said players are also deeply affected when Pakistan lose matches.

“When Pakistan lose, players feel the pain as well,” he said. “Criticism is fine, but disrespect is not.”

Rauf said he has always tried his level best whenever he represented Pakistan. 

He also spoke about the challenges of bowling in the death overs, saying it is one of the toughest roles in modern cricket. “It is not easy to bowl in the death overs,” he said. 

Rauf also praised the Pakistan Super League (PSL) that is going to enter its 11th edition this March, saying it is becoming a major league and will continue to attract more overseas players in the future.

T20 World Cup Squad

The squad features a blend of experience and emerging talent. Rising star Khawaja Nafay has earned his place, while the batting lineup will be bolstered by Salman Ali Agha, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, and Shadab Khan. 

The combination reflects selectors’ intent to balance proven performers with fresh energy.

In the all-round and bowling departments, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Nawaz, Abrar Ahmed and Usman Khan have been included. 

The pace attack will be spearheaded by Pakistan’s premier fast bowlers  such as Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah, whose presence is expected to provide the team with a lethal edge in conditions favouring seam and swing.

The squad also features Usman Tariq and Salman Mirza, both of whom have impressed in domestic cricket and now have the opportunity to showcase their skills on the world stage.