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The NCAA Division I Administrative Committee voted in favor of a proposal that paves the way for athletes to place bets on professional sports.
The proposal still must receive approval from Divisions II and III before it can take effect. Those panels are expected to vote on the matter during their meetings later this month.
If the proposal wins final approval, the change could take effect on November 1. However, college athletes would still be prohibited from betting on college sports.
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FILE – In this March 18, 2015, file photo, the NCAA logo is displayed at 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 was clear in its discussion today that it remains concerned about the risks associated with all forms of sports betting, but ultimately voted to reduce restrictions on student-athletes in this area to better align with their peers on campus,” said Illinois athletic director and committee chair Josh Whitman.
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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 participate in professional sports betting activities.”
FILE – In this Wednesday, March 18, 2015 file photo, the NCAA logo is on the court as work continues on 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 or sponsorship of NCAA championships by betting sites.
Despite the potential change, the committee stressed that it does not support sports betting, especially 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 in 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 wherever possible, and the Division I Board of Directors remains focused on preserving rules that speak directly to the fairness of collegiate athletic competition and the academic successes of college athletes,” said Virginia Tech President Tim Sands. “While NCAA members do not encourage student-athletes to engage in sports betting conduct of any kind, the time is right to modernize these rules by removing prohibitions against betting on professional sports and focusing on harm reduction strategies for conduct that does not directly impact college sports.”
The change comes as the number of NCAA enforcement cases involving sports betting violations has increased in recent years.
