The National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) recently conducted and released findings of a survey on sports wagering issues, showing 27% of autonomous schools had experienced problems with either students or staff in the past year. This data from campus compliance directors shows an increase from the 3% noted in a similar survey in 2019.
When asked by this year’s survey, “During the past year, did you become aware of any student-athletes on your campus who were harassed (online or in person) by someone with gambling interests?” 25% also answered “yes.”
NCAA President Charlie Baker, who commissioned the survey, said, “Student-athletes are getting harassed by bettors, and billion-dollar ad campaigns are targeting young people across the country. We need all the help we can get, including from regulators and sportsbooks, to protect student-athletes and protect the integrity of the games.”
Division I, Division II and Division III member schools had senior compliance administrators responding to several questions, some updates on previous years’ issues. One question, “Is sports wagering currently legal in the state where your college is located?” received answers of “I don’t know” in each division, making up 2% of Division I, 12% of Division II and 8% of Division III.
The survey also showed that in both 2019 and 2023, no division answered that it provides gambling or sports wagering-related education to 100% of either athletics administrators, coaches, athletes’ health care providers or student athletes. However, it is provided at over 95% of Division I schools, and in the majority of Divisions II and III colleges as well.
Epic Risk Management partnered with the NCAA in 2022, and over 20,000 student-athletes, coaches and administrators have reportedly now been educated as part of this specific program’s efforts.
Baker added, "The NCAA will use this staff survey data, as well as data from our prior sports betting activities survey of college-age respondents, to make the best tools available to help schools educate student-athletes on how and why to avoid sports betting.
"Clearly there is more work to do, but this survey will be a big help with all our sports betting efforts."
