Key Moments:
- The NCAA has maintained its prohibition on professional sports betting for student-athletes, team staff, and athletic department employees.
- Roughly two-thirds of Division I schools voted to overturn a prior rule change that would have allowed legal pro sports betting participation.
- An NCAA survey found that 67% of college students engaged in sports betting on campus over the past year.
Policy Remains in Force
The NCAA has decided to keep its restriction on student-athletes, team personnel, and athletics staff betting on professional sports, reversing an earlier move to permit such activity. The association’s announcement came following a procedural 30-day review period, during which a majority of Division I member schools voted to rescind a previously approved amendment. This amendment would have allowed involvement in legal professional sports wagering by these groups.
Institutional Reversal
Nearly two-thirds of Division I institutions participated in the decision to rescind the change. The initial revision aimed to ease regulatory duties for the NCAA and related organizations by lifting the professional sports betting prohibition. It also intended to modify penalties, including those surrounding eligibility loss for student-athletes found in violation of the rule.
SEC’s Influence and Educational Emphasis
The reconsideration of the amendment stemmed from input by Greg Sankey, the SEC commissioner. Following a cabinet approval rate below 75%, all Division I schools were allotted 30 days for further voting. Sankey said, “It’s not just about student-athletes. It’s about coaches, analysts, video staff, and sports medicine. I don’t think people do well with blurred lines or a lot of grey areas. Clear statements are needed,” emphasizing the need for clear boundaries in gaming regulations.
Sankey also expressed support for maintaining the NCAA’s educational efforts and expressed opposition to excessively harsh consequences for initial violations. He stated, “The notion, ‘Do it once and you’re out forever,’ that’s not really education-based,” and added, “Our desire would be that the policy and guidance remain, but there’s more thought on how it’s applied to young people.”
Potential Risks Remain
The NCAA’s continued ban on sports betting participation among student-athletes could inadvertently drive some activity to offshore sportsbooks, which lack regulatory oversight and bettor monitoring of legal platforms. Legal operators have mechanisms to detect and stop ineligible bets, which may not be mirrored offshore.
Sports Betting Engagement on Campuses
Survey results from 2023 indicated that 58% of young adults aged 18 to 22 participate in sports betting, with that figure climbing to 67% among those on college campuses in the past year. Additionally, 35% admitted using a student bookmaker, and over 40% reported wagering on their school’s teams. According to NCAA estimates, approximately 20% of college students exhibit at least one risky behavior associated with problem gambling.
Survey Data Snapshot
| Metric | Reported Percentage |
|---|---|
| 18-22 year-olds participating in sports betting | 58% |
| College campus sports betting participation (past year) | 67% |
| Used a student bookmaker | 35% |
| Have bet on their school’s teams | Over 40% |
| College students with at least one risky gambling behavior | About 20% |
- Author
Daniel Williams
