The NCAA on Wednesday approved new legislation allowing student-athletes and athletics department staff to bet on professional sports.
The NCAA’s Division II Management Council has approved new legislation allowing student-athletes and athletics department staff to bet on professional sports, beginning 1 November.
The rule change, which had to be approved by all three NCAA divisions, was ratified earlier this month by the Division I, and later Division III governance bodies.
The updated policy removes restrictions on betting on professional sports, while keeping the longstanding ban on wagering related to collegiate athletics intact.
Athletes are still prohibited from betting on college sports or sharing inside information about college competitions.
The change also does not alter existing prohibitions against gambling-related advertising or sponsorships during NCAA Championships.
NCAA officials stressed that the adjustment does not signal an endorsement of sports betting. Instead, they said, it represents a pragmatic response to the evolving landscape of legalised gambling in the US.
Roberta Page, director of athletics at Slippery Rock University and chair of the Division II Management Council, said the decision reflects alignment across divisions while safeguarding core principles that govern collegiate competition.
She noted that the NCAA remains committed to protecting both the integrity of its games and the welfare of student-athletes.
The organisation reiterated its focus on education and harm prevention.
It added that, through initiatives from the Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports and the Sport Science Institute, schools are encouraged to adopt harm-reduction strategies.
They should also make use of existing resources to address potential gambling-related issues. Educational materials and guidance on responsible behaviour are also available on the NCAA’s sports betting webpage.
Betting controversies create friction
The timing of the reform has drawn attention due to recent betting scandals involving college athletes.
In September, the NCAA disclosed that 13 former men’s basketball players from six universities are under investigation for gambling-related violations.
Allegations include betting on or against their own teams, manipulating game outcomes, and sharing insider information with third parties.
According to the NCAA, none of the implicated players is currently enrolled at the institutions involved, though multiple cases remain under review.
Some of the same third parties appear to be connected across different investigations, suggesting a coordinated pattern of misconduct.
The association declined to release additional details pending the conclusion of the enforcement process.
Coupled with those and previous college athletics betting controversies, some have suggested lifting the ban on student-athletes betting is a step in the wrong direction.
Charles Barkley, a member of both the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, shared the view earlier this month ahead of the 10th annual Bruce, Barkley and Basketball Golf Classic charity event.
Barkley told reporters: “Anybody that thinks that’s a good idea should have their head examined. Why would you even do that if you’re the NCAA? … We already have issues with kids gambling now when they shouldn’t be gambling. This is just crazy.”