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The NCAA Division I Administrative Committee has voted in favor of a proposal that opens the way for athletes to bet on professional sports.
The proposal must still receive approval from Divisions II and III before it can go into effect. Those panels are expected to vote on the issue at their meetings later this month.
If the proposal gains final approval, the change could take effect as early as November 1. However, college athletes would continue to be prohibited from betting on college sports.
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FILE – In this March 18, 2015, file photo, the NCAA logo is displayed on center court as work continues at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh for the NCAA college basketball tournament. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic, file)
“The Administrative Committee made clear in its discussion today that it remains concerned about the risks associated with all forms of sports gambling, but ultimately voted to reduce restrictions on student-athletes in this area to better align with their campus peers,” said Josh Whitman, Illinois athletic director and committee chairman.
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“This change allows the NCAA, conferences and member schools to focus on protecting the integrity of college games while encouraging healthy habits for student-athletes who choose to engage in professional sports betting activities.”
FILE – In this Wednesday, March 18, 2015, file photo, the NCAA logo is on the field as work continues at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic, file)
The NCAA also prohibits sharing information about college competitions with bettors. The institution also does not allow advertising and sponsorship of NCAA championships by betting sites.
Despite the potential change, the committee emphasized that it does not endorse sports betting, particularly for student-athletes.
An NCAA logo is seen on the field before the game between the South Dakota State Jackrabbits and the North Dakota State Bison during the Division I FCS football championship held at Toyota Stadium on January 8, 2023 in Frisco, Texas. (Photos by C. Morgan Engel/NCAA via Getty Images)
“Division I members are actively working to deregulate NCAA rules where possible, and the Division I Board of Directors remains focused on preserving rules that directly affect the fairness of college athletic competition and the academic success of college athletes,” Virginia Tech President Tim Sands said. “While NCAA members do not encourage student-athletes to engage in sports betting behaviors of any kind, now is the time to modernize these rules by removing bans on betting on professional sports and focusing on risk reduction strategies for behaviors that do not directly impact college sports.”
The change comes as the number of NCAA enforcement cases involving sports betting violations has increased in recent years.
