NCAA Rule Change to Let Players, Staff Bet on Pro Sports Reportedly 'Not a Slam Dunk'

As NCAA leaders prepare to decide whether to pass new legislation that would allow college athletes, coaches and staffers to bet on professional sports, the idea of granting that permission reportedly has not gone over well with members of the 35-person D-I Council.

Per Sports Illustrated's Pat Forde, one source said the topic has "been hotly debated" and "is not a slam dunk."

Under current legislation, NCAA athletes and staffers are barred from betting on professional sports that are sponsored by the NCAA, including football, basketball, baseball, hockey, golf and tennis.

In April, the Division I Board of Directors voted 21-1 in favor of directing the D-I Council to “adopt legislation to deregulate the prohibition on wagering on professional sports," according to Forde. If passed, athletes and staffers still would not be allowed to bet on college sports.

The D-1 Council, made up of administrators from across campuses and conferences, is expected to vote on the matter on Tuesday or Wednesday, Forde noted.

Two years ago, the NCAA changed its gambling penalties to create "a sliding scale for suspensions for impermissible wagering based on the amounts being bet," according to Forde. Following a probe into Iowa and Iowa State athletes regarding betting activity in 2023, D-I conference commissioners asked the NCAA to compare its gambling policies with the professional sports leagues across the U.S., along with the national governing bodies in Olympic sports.

With the NCAA policies towards betting being more restrictive and punishments being harsher, discussions have taken place about a more helpful system. Those in favor of allowing professional sports betting "have emphasized that education on problem gambling should be prioritized over penalizing athletes," Forde noted.

“One of the big things that’s not really being tracked is gambling as a mental-health issue,” one source told Forde. “We should be helping people instead of whacking them with ineligibility.”

As of June 2023, athletes who bet on their own games face potential permanent loss of eligibility, while those who bet on their own sports but not an event they're involved in could lose half of one season. For other betting violations, including those involving pro sports, the dollar value of wagers placed is taken into consideration to decide a punishment.