ACC Adjusts Rules on Player Status to Accommodate Gamblers

The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, has announced that it is changing the rules on player availability to accommodate surging betting interest in college sports, and football, among others.

Players’ Availability Now Needs to Be Confirmed in the ACC

Commissioner Jim Phillips has confirmed that the ACC will now issue updates on player availability 48 hours ahead of a game in specific cases, making it easier for bettors to decide if they wish to gamble on a certain game, athlete, or outcome.

The ACC is copying the NFL-style reporting, which posts players as available, questionable, doubtful, or out. The NFL updates these cards both ahead of schedule as well as before games – usually two hours earlier. Commenting on the decision, Phillips said:

“There’s stress on our student-athletes from individuals who are trying to garner information. Sometimes it’s pretty innocent. They just want to know because they’re a big fan. But other times it leads into the gambling and sports wagering path.”

The ACC is serious about ensuring that the reporting ought to be taken up by any participating school member of the conference. Failure to submit reports would result in fines, although the exact details of how these penalties would be met remain to be seen.

Penalties to Apply to Non-Compliant Member Schools

The 48-hour report cut-off is not obligatory for all sports, as basketball and baseball teams need to have their availability reports presented a day before the game, and once again updated two hours before the game gets underway.

Phillips said that the ACC was also looking into the current state of sports legalization and the tax windfall collected this way. North Carolina is considering shifting $20 million of gambling tax revenue to the UNC and NC State, specifically earmarked for college sports.