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11/21 16:33 CST NCAA won't allow athletes or athletic department staff to bet
on pro sports amid gambling scandals
NCAA won't allow athletes or athletic department staff to bet on pro sports
amid gambling scandals
By DOUG FEINBERG
AP Sports Writer
NCAA athletes and athletic department staff will not be allowed to bet on
professional sports after the organization's membership voted Friday to rescind
a rule change that would have permitted those bets.
The move follows a string of high-profile gambling cases that have raised
questions about the integrity of competition in college and pro sports. In late
October, an NBA coach and player were arrested in a takedown of two sprawling
gambling operations, and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier was accused of
exploiting private information about players to win bets on NBA games.
The NCAA announced two weeks ago that it was revoking the eligibility of six
men's basketball players over allegations of sports betting. And on Friday, the
NCAA said former Temple guard Hysier Miller placed dozens of bets on Owls
games, including some against his team.
The rule change to allow gambling on pro sports would have taken effect on Nov.
1, but under a rarely used rule, each Division I school was given 30 days to
vote to rescind the proposal, since it was adopted by less than 75% of the DI
cabinet.
More than two-thirds of DI members needed to vote to stop the rule change, and
that number was reached on Friday. The 30-day period would have ended Saturday.
Even if the rule had passed, athletes and athletic department staff would have
continued to be banned from any betting on NCAA events.
The vote by DI members also applies to Divisions II and III, which had also
been poised to allow gambling on pro sports. Such bets will continue to be
banned at all three levels.
Late last month, Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey sent a note
to NCAA President Charlie Baker expressing concerns about the rule change. The
two members of the DI cabinet from the SEC had voted in favor of allowing pro
sports betting.
NCAA enforcement caseloads involving sports betting violations have increased
in recent years. There are at least another dozen cases currently being
investigated.
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AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports
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