It’s a risky gambit for the NCAA to remove a betting ban in its rules that has been in place since the U.S. Supreme Court opened the floodgates to sports betting.
The NCAA is poised to expressly allow student-athletes, coaches, and sports team staff to gamble on professional sports such as the NBA, NFL, and MLB.
More than half of online sports bettors chase losses, and nearly 40% have bet more than they could afford to lose, according to independent betting addiction statistics.
Currently, student-athletes, coaches, and staff are barred under NCAA regulations from using state-sanctioned sportsbooks like DraftKings and FanDuel. They also can’t sports bet in brick-and-mortar casinos.
These individuals would still be barred from gambling on any college sport, even ones in which they aren’t involved.
Overview of NCAA Betting Rule Change
On Oct. 8, the NCAA Division I Administrative Committee voted to adopt the change. It will go into effect Nov. 1, pending approval from the lower divisions later in October.
- The NCAA said the change is “not an endorsement of sports betting.”
- It said that an “abstinence-only approach” isn’t the best option.
- In some states, student-athletes as young as 18 can bet legally.
- The NCAA claimed that more people will seek help for gambling addiction.
- It will continue to emphasize harm reduction educational programs.
- But it fell short of identifying betting apps as habit-forming as products like tobacco.
- The NCAA will continue to sell its data to the industry for in-game betting.
- The rule change came as public support for betting apps has plummeted.
- The NCAA must still grapple with the rise of Kalshi and Polymarket sports gambling.
Timeline of Events
The proposed lifting of the NCAA betting rules ban has been a months-long process.
Jason Verdugo, chair of the Division III Management Council, said in an NCAA press release dated April 18, 2025:
“We are seeking to deregulate betting on professional sports because we believe it will be more likely that student-athletes and staff will seek help for problem gambling.”
Sports Illustrated reported in May that the Division I Board of Directors was also behind the change. The board voted 21–1 in favor of deregulating the prohibition on wagering on pro sports. A final decision on the matter was left to another NCAA body.
“The proliferation of eligibility and infractions cases related to gambling on pro sports has bogged down NCAA enforcement and university compliance staff, for what often are ruled to be minor infractions with small penalties,” said the SI article.
In October, the NCAA Division I Administrative Committee approved the change. The betting rules change will go into effect Nov. 1, 2025, if the lower divisions also sign off.
Post-NCAA Betting Ban: Less Stigma vs. More Gamblers
What’s at stake for the over 500,000 student-athletes in the NCAA?
While some were already breaking the NCAA betting rules, the regulation change will increase the number of student-athlete gamblers. More people feeling brave enough to seek help for gambling problems would be a win. However, will the benefits of possible stigma reduction be undermined by a greater number of bettors?
Student-athletes are particularly vulnerable to gambling problems. Many studies have shown that young people are more susceptible to developing gambling issues.
According to a 2023 student-athlete mental health study, nearly a quarter are “at risk” for depression, along with heightened danger for anxiety and low self-esteem.
“With participation in sport, student-athletes are thought to be immune to mental health disorders like depression; however, research demonstrates that the general college student population and student-athletes are comparable.”
Age and vulnerable mental health aren’t the only factors.
Competitive Nature
Student-athletes are usually competitive, and this trait helped them become collegiate athletes. Very few student-athletes go professional after school, so the pressure to perform and realize their potential can be immense.
A competitive personality combined with an exaggerated perception of skill and knowledge when betting on sports can create a toxic mindset. In extreme cases, an addiction emergency arises at the intersection of narcissism and problem gambling.
For instance, a college baseball player is obviously well-versed in the sport of baseball. Does his knowledge give him a small edge when betting on MLB games? Perhaps temporarily, but in the long run, it’s very unlikely he would win money by sports gambling.
Losing money betting on MLB could fuel low self-esteem for this hypothetical NCAA baseball player, potentially leading to the self-destructive behavior of chasing losses.
The NCAA betting ban likely has helped some student-athletes avoid gambling harm.
Bottom Line
The NCAA has slowly acquiesced to state-sanctioned sports betting.
As recently as May 2024, the NCAA called for the complete “elimination” of prop bets on individual college athletes. In April, the NCAA agreed to a new data-sharing deal with the sports gambling industry that may help facilitate many player prop bets.
The NCAA data won’t be available to sportsbooks that take “underperformance wagers” on college athletes. For example, an NCAA basketball player to score fewer than X number of points. That bet is considered riskier than a so-called “over” bet because it becomes possible for a player to underperform deliberately.
Proponents of the NCAA’s recent decisions say the organization is adapting to the betting landscape and industry, which could continue to expand to more jurisdictions.
It’s commendable that some NCAA decision-makers are seeking to make it less scary for a student-athlete, coach, or sports team staff to seek help for problem gambling.
However, a softening position on state-sanctioned sports betting is problematic. The product is habit-forming by design, and the NCAA will not make the real risks abundantly clear under the betting rules change.
The NCAA might soon be swimming against the tide again.
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