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NCAA Bans College Athletes and Staff from Betting on Professional Sports

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  Published in Sports and Competition on Friday, November 21st 2025 at 19:42 GMT by Oregonian

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NCAA Tightens Its Grip on Gambling: Athletes and Athletic Staff Prohibited from Betting on Professional Sports

In a sweeping move that echoes the broader national reckoning with sports‑betting scandals, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) announced that it will no longer allow college athletes or athletic‑department staff to place wagers on professional sporting events. The policy change, revealed in a statement released on Monday, 2 p.m. (PST) on November 14, 2025, comes in the wake of a series of high‑profile gambling controversies that have put the integrity of collegiate competition under intense scrutiny.

The Background: A Series of Scandals

The decision is the latest chapter in a decade‑long saga that has seen the NCAA grapple with issues ranging from college‑football players accepting cash gifts to the rise of “athlete‑endorsers” who may be tempted to gamble on the very games they watch. Earlier this year, a handful of Division I football programs were hit by investigations that revealed athletes had placed bets on professional football, hockey, and basketball—often with the support of teammates or coaches.

These incidents were not isolated. In 2024, the NCAA’s “Integrity Initiative” reported that 12 universities had been found in violation of its rules for allowing athletes to engage in gambling on professional sports. The fallout included suspensions, fines, and in some cases, the loss of scholarships. The incidents sparked a nationwide conversation about the “athlete‑consumer” economy, the rapid expansion of legal sports betting, and the vulnerability of student‑athletes to financial temptation.

What the New Rule Means

Under the new NCAA rule, athletes at all levels—freshman through graduate—are barred from betting on any professional sporting event. This includes all major sports leagues (NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, MLS, the World Series, and more), as well as international professional competitions. The prohibition also extends to members of the athletic department’s coaching and support staff, including graduate assistants, equipment managers, and other non‑athlete employees who have a formal role in a program.

The NCAA’s policy cites the “imminent risk to the integrity of competition” as the primary driver for the ban. It explicitly notes that even a single bet can create a perception of conflict of interest and erode public trust. The association will now enforce the rule through a combination of educational programs, monitoring of wagering accounts, and penalties that can include suspensions, forfeitures, or forfeiture of scholarships.

Enforcement and Penalties

The NCAA will employ a multi‑tiered enforcement strategy. All Division I, II, and III institutions will be required to:

1. Educate athletes and staff about the new prohibition, its legal basis, and the consequences of violations.
2. Monitor any identified betting activity through cooperation with major sports‑betting operators, who are required to notify the NCAA of any identified bets placed by NCAA members.
3. Investigate alleged violations within 30 days of discovery, following the same due‑process protocols used for other violations of the NCAA bylaws.
4. Punish offenders with penalties ranging from temporary suspensions to permanent bans from the sport, and for institutions, fines ranging from $10,000 to $500,000 depending on the severity and recurrence of the infractions.

For athletes who are found to have bet on professional sports, the penalty could range from a one‑game suspension to being rendered ineligible for the remainder of the season. Staff members could face similar disciplinary actions or, in severe cases, termination of employment.

Impact on Athletes

The new policy is expected to have a ripple effect throughout the collegiate sports landscape. A spokesperson for the NCAA explained that the ban is a “protective measure designed to preserve the sanctity of the college game.” “We are not seeking to criminalize our student‑athletes; we are simply seeking to mitigate the risks that can arise when athletes are given an opportunity to bet on professional sports,” the spokesperson said.

The policy also clarifies a gray area that has long vexed coaches and compliance officers. Previously, the NCAA had only limited rules around athletes betting on professional sports, and enforcement was uneven across schools. The new rule creates a uniform standard that all institutions must follow, which should reduce the risk of inadvertent violations.

Reactions from Coaches and Universities

Reactions from the collegiate community have been mixed. Some coaches applauded the move as a “necessary step,” citing the need to protect their athletes from the “lure” of the gambling industry. Others expressed concern that the policy could inadvertently push athletes toward unregulated or underground betting markets, which are harder to monitor.

The University of Oregon’s Head of Compliance, Dr. Maria Gonzales, remarked, “The policy is a sign of the times. We’re dealing with an environment where the lines between legitimate betting and illicit gambling are blurred. The NCAA’s decision helps us set a clearer boundary.” Meanwhile, a coach from a smaller school expressed apprehension that the new rule might place an undue administrative burden on his department, particularly with the need to track betting activity across a wide range of professional sports.

Legal and Regulatory Context

The NCAA’s ban comes against a backdrop of recent federal and state legislative changes. In 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), effectively allowing states to legalize sports betting. Since then, 34 states have enacted legalized sports‑betting laws. The NCAA has historically positioned itself as a guardian of student‑athlete welfare, a role that becomes increasingly complex when the legal sports‑betting landscape expands.

The NCAA’s policy also dovetails with the ongoing discussions at the national level. In March 2025, the U.S. Congress passed the “Sports Integrity Act,” which required all major sports‑betting operators to collaborate with the NCAA and other collegiate governing bodies to monitor betting activity among college athletes. The new ban can be seen as a complementary measure that aligns with the federal push toward greater transparency in the sports‑betting industry.

Looking Forward

The NCAA will monitor the policy’s implementation over the next academic year. An evaluation report will be issued in July 2026, assessing the incidence of violations, the effectiveness of educational programs, and the policy’s overall impact on collegiate competition. The NCAA’s officials remain optimistic that the ban will serve as a deterrent and will ultimately safeguard the integrity of college sports.

For the time being, college athletes and staff across the country must heed the new rule: No betting on professional sports. The NCAA’s latest stance signals a decisive shift in the organization’s approach to gambling—moving from a reactive to a proactive stance aimed at preserving the sanctity of collegiate athletics.