NATIONWIDE— The NCAA has formally approved a rule change that will permit student-athletes and athletic department staff to place legal bets on professional sports. The change, which was ratified by the Division II and III management councils on Wednesday, will go into effect on November 1.
The move follows the Division I cabinet’s approval two weeks prior. It comes as the NCAA acknowledges the evolving landscape of sports betting and a recent increase in gambling-related violations.
Crucially, the rule does not change the NCAA’s strict prohibition on athletes betting on any college sports competition—including their own or other NCAA events. Athletes and staff also remain barred from sharing confidential information about college competitions with bettors.
Despite approving the change for professional sports, the NCAA emphasized it does not endorse sports betting, particularly for student-athletes.
Roberta Page, director of athletics at Slippery Rock and chair of the Division II Management Council, stated the change reflects the current environment. “This change recognizes the realities of today’s sports environment without compromising our commitment to protecting the integrity of college competition or the well-being of student-athletes,” Page said.
Response to Increased Violations
The decision to modify the rule comes amid a rise in sports betting violations that have strained NCAA enforcement efforts. NCAA President Charlie Baker, who had anticipated the rule change, addressed the issue earlier this week.
“We run the largest integrity program in the world on sports betting across all the various games,” Baker said. “Sadly, we discovered some student athletes involved with some problematic activity.”
Last month, the NCAA banned three men’s college basketball players after they were found to have bet on their own games at Fresno State and San Jose State, leading to thousands of dollars in payouts.
The NCAA also maintains its policy of not accepting advertising or sponsorships for NCAA championships from sports betting sites.
