The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has abruptly reversed a recently approved rule change that would have permitted college athletes and athletic department staff to bet on professional sports. Under a rarely used override process, more than two-thirds of Division I member schools voted within a 30-day window last month to rescind the proposal. The threshold was reached on November 21, nullifying the rule change before it could take effect. As a result, the longstanding ban on sports wagering by NCAA student-athletes and staff remains in place across all three NCAA divisions. However, even if the rule had been implemented, college athletes and athletic department staff would still have been barred from betting on any NCAA contests, as the rescinded change only concerned wagering on professional sports. The vote to revoke the new rule underscores the NCAA membership’s cautious stance amid an evolving sports betting landscape.
The policy change comes on the heels of several high-profile gambling scandals that have heightened concerns about the integrity of sports wagering. In late October, an NBA head coach and player were arrested in connection with illicit sports betting operations amid allegations that inside information was misused for wagering advantage. College sports have faced their own betting controversies as well: the NCAA recently revoked the eligibility of six Division I men’s basketball players over sports gambling violations, and it disclosed that a former Temple University player placed dozens of bets on his team’s games — including some bets against his own team. According to NCAA officials, enforcement caseloads involving sports betting have spiked in recent years, with at least a dozen more investigations currently underway. These incidents and trends provided a sobering backdrop for NCAA institutions, likely influencing their decision to halt the expansion of permissible betting by athletes and staff.
Why It Matters
From a business and legal perspective, the NCAA’s decision to rescind the professional sports betting exception sends a clear signal that integrity concerns trump the push for betting liberalization within college athletics. Even as sports wagering has become legal and widespread in many states, college athletes and personnel remain strictly forbidden from engaging in any sports betting. This means universities must continue to enforce rigorous compliance policies, and sports betting operators must remain vigilant to prevent bets from prohibited individuals (e.g., by flagging accounts belonging to athletes or coaches). Notably, the NCAA has shown it will actively seek industry cooperation to protect game integrity. For example, the NCAA launched a 2023 campaign urging state regulators and sportsbooks to eliminate proposition bets on college sporting events.
The policy reversal reinforces that all stakeholders in the legal gaming space must prioritize robust integrity measures. Attorneys and compliance professionals advising sports organizations or betting companies should take heed: this rapid policy about-face highlights the dynamic regulatory environment and the paramount importance of safeguarding the fairness of competition in the age of legalized sports betting.