NCAA reverses course on rule change allowing bets on pro sports

Jeff Hauser

NCAA reverses course on rule change allowing bets on pro sports image

The NCAA has reversed a proposed rule change that would have permitted Division I athletes and staff to bet on professional sports, maintaining its longstanding prohibition. 

The decision follows multiple high-profile investigations involving student-athletes and gambling violations, including a case involving several former athletes who is alleged to have bet on games in which their respective teams played.

Division I member institutions were granted a 30-day window to vote on the proposed change; a sufficient majority opted to preserve the existing rules. The ban remains in effect for Divisions I, II and III. While some conference representatives had supported loosening the restrictions, concerns over integrity and a surge in betting-related infractions outweighed the momentum. 

The current enforcement plan will continue to be in place to monitor and sanction athletes and staff who engage in prohibited betting. The decision backs the NCAA’s emphasis on preserving the credibility of sports and may prompt deeper scrutiny of athletic-department operations and oversight.

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Staff Writer