Gaming

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 49, Part 1 and Title 49, relative to sports wagering.

Education

Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor: Clemmons, Yarbro
Last action: 2026-03-03
Official status: Failed in s/c Departments & Agencies Subcommittee of State & Local Government Committee
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass, so its exact impact remains uncertain.

Sports Wagering Ban on Public College Campuses

This bill restricts sports betting access through interactive platforms on and near public college campuses in Tennessee.

What This Bill Does

Requires licensees to prohibit sports betting access on the campus of a public institution of higher education.
Licensees must also block betting access at sports venues used by colleges for sanctioned events, regardless of venue ownership, for the entire day of an event.
Public institutions providing internet access must prevent students, staff, and visitors from accessing interactive sports wagering websites on their networks.

Who It Names or Affects

People who want to place bets on sports through interactive platforms near public colleges in Tennessee.
Public colleges that provide internet access to their community.
Sports betting companies licensed in Tennessee.

Terms To Know

Licensee: A company or person who has a permit to accept sports bets from the public.
Campus: The main area of a college plus nearby areas used by students, up to one mile away, excluding places like classrooms and storage facilities.

Limits and Unknowns

This bill did not pass in its current session.
It applies only to public institutions of higher education.
The exact impact on sports betting companies and college operations is unclear without further details.

Bill History

2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly
Failed in s/c Departments & Agencies Subcommittee of State & Local Government Committee
2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Departments & Agencies Subcommittee for 3/3/2026
2026-02-17 Tennessee General Assembly
Action Def. in s/c Departments & Agencies Subcommittee to 3/3/2026
2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Departments & Agencies Subcommittee for 2/17/2026
2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate State and Local Government Committee
2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c Departments & Agencies Subcommittee
2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly
P2C, ref. to State & Local Government Committee - Education Committee
2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly
Introduced, Passed on First Consideration
2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly
Intro., P1C.
2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction
2026-01-20 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

This bill requires a person who holds
a license to accept wagers from bettors on sporting events
("licensee") to
prohibit access to interactive sports wagering on the campus of an institution of higher education.
As used in this bill, "campus" means
the geographical boundaries of an institution of higher education's primary contiguous campus property, including the entirety of any parcel of non-contiguous property or satellite facility of the institution within
one
mile of any boundary of the institution'
s primary contiguous campus property that is used for student residential or communal purposes, but excluding those used solely for classrooms, maintenance, administrative purposes, or storage
. The term also includes
each sports venue located in this state that is utilized by an institution for a sanctioned collegiate or athletic sport or sporting event that is governed by a sports governing body and that is not located on the institution's campus, regardless of wheth
er such venue is owned by the instituti
on
.
For purposes of prohibiting access to interactive sports wagering at
such a
sports venue, a licensee
must
prohibit such access at the sports venue for the entire calendar day on which such sport or sporting event is conducted.

DUTY OF INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION

This bill requires a
n institution of higher education that provides internet access to students, faculty, staff, or the general public
to
prohibit access to interactive sports wagering

on its campus through any server or hard-wired or wireless network maintained or operated by the institution for purposes of accessing the internet.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SENATE BILL 1831
By Yarbro

HOUSE BILL 1768
By Clemmons
HB1768
009426
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4,
Chapter 49, Part 1 and Title 49, relative to sports
wagering.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 49, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
4-49-134. Licensee's duty to restrict access to interactive sports wagering on
campuses of public institutions of higher education.
(a) A licensee shall prohibit access to interactive sports wagering on the campus
of an institution of higher education.
(b) For purposes of prohibiting access to interactive sports wagering at a sports
venue utilized for sanctioned collegiate or athletic sports or sporting events as described
in subdivision (c)(1)(B), a licensee shall prohibit such access at the sports venue for the
entire calendar day on which such sport or sporting event is conducted.
(c) As used in this section:
(1) "Campus":
(A) Means the geographical boundaries of an institution of higher
education's primary contiguous campus property, including the entirety of
any parcel of non-contiguous property or satellite facility of the institution
within one (1) mile of any boundary of the institution's primary contiguous
campus property that is used for student residential or communal
purposes, but excluding those used solely for classrooms, maintenance,
administrative purposes, or storage; and

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(B) Includes each sports venue located in this state that is utilized
by an institution for a sanctioned collegiate or athletic sport or sporting
event that is governed by a sports governing body and that is not located
on the institution's campus, as defined in subdivision (c)(1)(A), regardless
of whether such venue is owned by the institution;
(2) "Institution of higher education" or "institution" means a public
institution of higher education that sanctions one (1) or more collegiate or athletic
sport or sporting event that is governed by a sports governing body; and
(3) "Sports venue," as described in subdivision (c)(1)(B), includes
contiguous property to or ancillary facilities of the sports venue owned by or
under the control of the sports venue for dedicated sports venue parking or
activities directly related to the sanctioned collegiate or athletic sport or sporting
event taking place at the sports venue.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 7, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
49-7-194. Duty of public institution of higher education to restrict access to
interactive sports wagering on campus.
(a) An institution of higher education that provides internet access to students,
faculty, staff, or the general public shall prohibit access to interactive sports wagering, as
that term is defined in § 4-49-102, on its campus through any server or hard-wired or
wireless network maintained or operated by the institution for purposes of accessing the
internet.
(b) As used in this section:

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(1) "Campus" has the same meaning as defined in § 4-49-134(c); and
(2) "Institution of higher education" has the same meaning as defined in
§ 4-49-134(c).
SECTION 3. The headings in this act are for reference purposes only and do not
constitute a part of the law enacted by this act. However, the Tennessee Code Commission is
requested to include the headings in any compilation or publication containing this act.
SECTION 4. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.