The NCAA has changed course on its position regarding betting in sports, halting a proposal to allow athletes to wager on pro sports.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has changed course on its position regarding betting in sports, with a proposal to allow college athletes to wager on professional sports no longer moving forward.
NCAA Division I members voted on Friday (21 November) to block a planned rule change that would have permitted athletes and athletic department staff to wager on pro sports, halting a measure that had originally been scheduled to begin as of 1 November.
The rejection came during a 30-day review window triggered after the proposal passed the DI cabinet with less than 75% support.
Under that process, member schools could vote to rescind the change, and more than two-thirds ultimately did so before the 24 November deadline.
The outcome preserves the long-standing prohibition on all sports wagering by NCAA athletes and staff, a policy officials described as increasingly salient amid a rise in betting-related cases across both college and professional sports.
Recent investigations have highlighted the vulnerability of competition to outside betting activity.
Last month, a player and coach in the NBA, Terry Rozier and Chauncey Billups, were arrested in connection with two major betting operations.
Billups is expected to make a plea in court today, 24 November, according to Reuters.
The NCAA is also involved in a wave of internal enforcement cases.
Earlier this month, the organisation ruled six men’s basketball players ineligible because of alleged sports betting violations.
On Friday, it also confirmed allegations from earlier this year that former Temple guard Hysier Miller had placed numerous bets on Owls games, including bets against his own team.
Officials said at least a dozen additional investigations remain active.
Overwhelming, but not complete, resistance
Even if the pro sports betting allowance had been approved, NCAA policy would still have barred athletes and staff from wagering on any collegiate competition.
However, the rescinded measure would have opened the door for betting on professional leagues at all three NCAA levels.
Because the DI vote applies across divisions, Divisions II and III will also continue to prohibit betting on pro sports.
The proposal had sparked significant debate within the college sports community.
Late last month, Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey sent a letter to NCAA President Charlie Baker outlining concerns about loosening restrictions.
Notably, the two SEC representatives on the DI cabinet had voted in favour of allowing the change, highlighting the variance in opinion within conferences.
NCAA officials reported that enforcement caseloads linked to sports betting have grown in recent years.
They emphasised that the decision to uphold the ban was intended to maintain competitive integrity and alleviate potential pressures on athletes who may face increased exposure to betting-related risks as the sports betting landscape evolves.