NCAA to review sports betting penalty regime
College sports governing body follows NFL lead in examining penalties for those student-athletes whose bets are not on their own teams
The National College Athletics Association (NCAA) has confirmed a full review of current procedures to reinstate student-athletes found to have engaged in sports betting.
The review has been instigated by the Collegiate Commissioners Association and the Division I Council, to be carried out by the Division I Committee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement and Legislative Committee.
The NCAA has said the review comes after recent reinstatement cases where sports betting has been identified and led to long-term or permanent bans for student-athletes, issued out of a desire to reflect the “current wagering environment”, a nod to the effect of the new season on betting.
The current reinstatement guidelines were reviewed by the Division I Council and Legislative Committee in June, following modifications made by the reinstatement committee in May.
Specifically, the review will focus on penalties for student-athletes who place bets, despite NCAA prohibitions, but do so on teams other than their own.
Penalties for those student-athletes who are found to have bet on their own team and therefore deemed to be in potential violation of the integrity of the sport will remain significant, the NCAA has confirmed.
Systems set to be considered include a tiered scale based on the frequency of the offence committed.
This would call for the elimination of bans for student-athletes on their first breach of the sports betting laws, with a requirement to provide education on sports wagering rules and prevention for the respective student-athlete’s college or school.
On confirmation of a second offence, the review would consider so-called ‘withholding’ penalties, which include financial penalties based on the dollar value of the bet or bets placed.
Lastly, on a third or subsequent offence, the review would look at penalties such as the loss of one full season of eligibility.
At all stages, the governing body has said it will place an emphasis on preserving student-athlete wellbeing as well as greater education and treatment over punitive sanctions where there is no perceived risk to the integrity of the sport.
NCAA president Charlie Baker, who was appointed as chief of the association in March, highlighted the efforts of the governing body to pursue a tough line against sports betting by athletes but also to preserve the health of participants.
“We continue to put student-athlete wellbeing front and center in the Association’s efforts around sports wagering, including this week’s action related to reconsideration of penalties that members believe have been overly punitive to student-athletes,” Baker said.
“This is an important step toward modernizing the NCAA’s approach to sports wagering,” he added.
The National Football League (NFL) announced earlier this week the overhaul of its own sanctions regime for players found to be placing bets on league games.