Nashville, Tennessee: The most beautiful beaches – Before the start of the NFL and college football season, the Tennessee Sports Wagering Council (SWC) reminds everyone in Tennessee that proxy betting is illegal.

Proxy betting, which is when one person bets on behalf of another, is a felony punishable by up to 30 days in jail for the first offense. It is also illegal to place a sports bet with a bookie, a person who takes bets offline and then pays out winnings, and the SWC wants to make bettors aware of Tennessee’s laws.

“The primary mission of the SWC is to protect Tennessee’s public interest through a safe, regulated environment. Those who bet on behalf of others in Tennessee directly contribute to an unsafe environment that can lead to risky gambling behavior, as well as sports integrity issues and age-related problems,” said Executive Director Mary Beth Thomas.

An NCAA survey of 3,500 18- to 22-year-olds released in April 2023 found that 58 percent of them have participated in sports betting at least once. In addition, current NCAA rules state that prospective student-athletes – high school student-athletes who have been recruited by an NCAA school – are barred from sports betting, and a student-athlete’s eligibility is automatically revoked if caught.

Tennessee is the largest pure online sports betting market in the United States. Between 1.5 and 2 million bettors in Tennessee wager over $4 billion annually on sports with SWC-licensed online bookmakers.

Licensed sportsbooks have controls in place to identify and prevent illegal activity, and they are required to immediately notify the SWC of any suspicious or illegal betting activity. When the SWC receives a report of illegal activity, SWC investigators may access account information to determine if there is evidence that criminal activity may have occurred. The agency will forward such evidence to state and federal law enforcement agencies for possible prosecution.

About the Tennessee Sports Wagering Council

The primary mission of the Tennessee Sports Wagering Council is to protect the public interest of Tennessee through a safe, regulated sports betting environment. The SWC oversees the licensing and registration process for online sportsbook operators, sportsbook operators and fantasy sports operators.

The state agency monitors and enforces compliance with the Tennessee Sports Gaming Act and the Tennessee Fantasy Sports Act and related regulations, including assessing the state’s special tax on sports betting and fantasy sports operators.