The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has given the green light for its college-level student-athletes to place wagers on professional sports. This was finally voted in on Wednesday, October 22, with the NCAA allowing its athletes and members of the athletics departments to place those wagers.
NCAA Gives Final Go-Ahead for Student-Athletes to Bet on Sports
With a nod from Divisions II and III, the measure is already in effect, which means that student-athletes will have leeway in placing a bet on sports and not have to worry about their reputations or associations with people who gamble in general. Naturally, college-level sports are out of the question, but popular ones and more – such as NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, and WNBA are fair game.
Illinois athletic director and chair of the Division I Administrative Committee Josh Whitman:
“The Administrative Committee was clear in its discussion today that it remains concerned about the risks associated with all forms of sports gambling but ultimately voted to reduce restrictions on student-athletes in this area to better align with their campus peers.”
The NCAA is not letting up on investigating athletes whom it suspects of having colluded or tried to influence the outcome of college-level games, but at least now, it will allocate its resources to policing direct match-fixing signals and not waste energy on semi-pro athletes doing what everyone else is – betting on their favorite sports.
As noted by Whitman, the change will finally allow the NCAA and the conferences, as well as member schools, to not waste time on policing betting behavior, which is usually harmless, and double down on the integrity of college sports.