NCAA considers permit for student-athletes to bet on sports
Athletes would only be permitted to bet on professional matches, not college sports.
Key Points
- The Division I Administrative Committee has proposed letting student-athletes bet on professional sports
- All three NCAA divisions would have to approve
- Changing the permit, it is argued, would free up time for the NCAA while providing avenues to encourage safer gambling
The Division I Administrative Committee of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has proposed a permit for student-athletes and athletics department staff members to bet on professional sports games.
The proposal would require approval from all three NCAA divisions to be approved, and if approved, would be effective from November 1.
Currently, student-athletes and staff are banned from betting on professional sports. The ban on college sports betting would remain even if the permit is passed, and would also not impact the banning of sports betting ads and sponsorships for the NCAA Championships.
It has been emphasized that such a change would not be an endorsement of sports betting.
On the proposal, Illinois Athletics Director & Chair of the Committee Josh Whitman said, “This change allows the NCAA, the conferences and the member schools to focus on protecting the integrity of college games while, at the same time, encouraging healthy habits for student-athletes who choose to engage in betting activities on professional sports.”
Good to know: The NCAA recently partnered with Venmo to help tackle financial harrassment of student-athletes
The DI SAAC Executive Team added, “By removing unnecessary barriers, we are hopeful that student-athletes and athletics administrators will feel empowered to come forward, seek help and engage in open dialogue without fear.”
NCAA Chief Medical Officer Dr. Deena Casiero concluded, “Abstinence-only approaches to social challenges for college-aged individuals are often not as successful as approaches that focus on education about risks and open dialogue.
“The NCAA will continue to collaborate with schools to help them provide student-athletes with meaningful education and other resources for student-athletes who choose to participate in betting on professional sports. This harm reduction approach gives schools an opportunity to help student-athletes make educated decisions, prevent risky behavior and seek support without fear of impacting their eligibility.”
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