Weighing the Odds: NCAA Reaffirms Stance Against Gambling after Failed Legislation

The NCAA’s recent decision to rescind legislation that would allow student-athletes to gamble on professional sports reflected several institutions’ growing concerns about the addictive nature of gambling.

While 38 states, in addition to the District of Columbia, legalized sports betting, apprehension surrounding match-fixing and addiction informed the NCAA’s final decision to continue prohibiting sports bets. In early October, however, the NCAA appeared on board to make a change.

Prior to the original proposal, NCAA Chief Medical Officer Dr. Deena Casiero stated, “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.” (NCAA.org).

Contrary to this commitment to education, the legislation failed as Division I schools voted against the decision weeks later.

The Rise of Digital Betting

Despite the NCAA’s attempts to eliminate sports bets, several student-athletes believe digital betting apps made the process nearly impossible to govern.

“We’re talking about students who aren’t fully developed,” Lynchburg track & field athlete Peter Morales said. “We have new platforms arriving where betting is even more accessible for those under 18.”

While smartphone apps were difficult for the NCAA to surveil, they also facilitated the process for online gambling.

“It’s more convenient,” Morales said. “Back in the day, you would have to walk to the bookies. At any part of your trip, you would have to keep committing to yourself that you want to do it.”

With the rise of social media, high school and collegiate sports broadcaster Kyle Hoehne believes there is a connection between the addiction of smartphones and gambling.

“We’ve discovered regular apps, like TikTok and Instagram, and we’re finding out how addictive they are,” Hoehne said. “You’re combining something that you already knew was addictive in gambling, and you’re putting it in a social media form. If you overdo it, you’re going to have consequences.”

Beyond the issue of addiction, there was also a divide between the NCAA’s prohibition and state legislatures’ decision to allow gambling.

“If it’s legal in your state for 18 and over to bet, it does seem like you have a predicament by restricting certain people from engaging in it,” Hoehne said. “It’s really tricky; now that they put it in the palm of your hand, there are always situations that nobody anticipated.”

Monitoring Integrity Violations

The NCAA’s decision arrived on the heels of an increased number of integrity violations across collegiate and professional sports. As of October, the organization actively investigated cases of over 10 student-athletes who bet on their own games.

In response to these illegal activities, several sports fans began advocating for change within each betting service.

“That’s another thing [the NCAA] can do: take away those individual bets about someone doing bad,” Hoehne said. “For example, I can’t bet someone’s under; I can only bet his over in points.”

Besides discouraging bets that involve players performing poorly, Hoehne also suggests that individual bets have become a problem.

“I think they should take away the prop bets, or betting on an individual,” Hoehne said. “You could pay off one person, but it’s hard to pay off an entire team to throw a game.”

While Division I games were featured throughout a high number of betting platforms, Division II and Division III rarely received attention from betting services. Despite this difference, the NCAA remained consistent in denying sports bets for all athletes.

“You can understand their reasoning because it’s one big governing body,” Morales said. “If you let certain athletes [bet], they’re probably afraid that the talent from DI will go down to DII and DIII. If you want overall unity, you have to apply the same standard to each and every athlete.”

Outside of collegiate sports, gambling has become an acceptable practice. Whether the activity entered collegiate sports or remained stagnant, sports fans understood the importance of moderation.

“We all spend money on things that are fun, and gambling can be exciting for people, as long as they stay within their limit,” Hoehne said.

To view the NCAA’s initial sports betting proposal, click here.