Sports betting has become a hot topic and has been a big hit for sport fanatics lately. In the past, a limit had been set on NCAA Division I, II, and III athletes, not allowing them to place bets on pro sports to prevent conflicts from arising. However, November 22nd, the NCAA is planning to lift this rule for college athletes. What does this really change and what threat does this pose on the sports industry?

Knowing the sport and the players’ abilities is a deciding factor in sports betting. Watching games, reading articles, and betting programs are the best options for research, considering that viewers can’t ask players and coaches for their tips. However, athletes always have connections, risking the probability of insider knowledge.

“We run the largest integrity program in the world on sports betting across all various games,” NCAA President Charlie Baker said. “Sadly, we discovered some student- athletes involved with some problematic activity.”

Not only can the information be shared, but risk of performance alterations can occur. With those connections, athletes and bettors can work to negotiate on their performance, overall changing their gambling outcomes.

“In September, the NCAA announced that a Fresno State men’s basketball player had manipulated his own performance for gambling purposes and conspired with two other players in a prop betting scheme,”  ESPN reporter David Purdum stated. “The NCAA is investigating 13 additional student-athletes from six schools regarding potential gambling violations dealing with integrity issues.” 

With an increased risk of addiction in young college students, the NCAA is working towards educating students about the dangers of addiction to this hobby.

“Abstinence-only approaches to social challenges for college-aged individuals are often not as successful as approaches that focus on education about risks and open dialogue,”  Dr. Deena Casiero, the NCAA’s chief media officer said.