NCAA delays sports betting rule change amid pushback

The NCAA Division I Board of Directors voted Tuesday to delay the effective date of new sports betting rules, moving the start date to Nov. 22. The rule change, which will apply to all three NCAA divisions, allows student-athletes and athletics department staff members to bet on professional sports that do not involve their school or conference.

NCAA delays new sports betting policy's effective date

The original effective date was set earlier this month, but the board said an extension was necessary to accommodate the NCAA’s rescission process. Under NCAA procedures, a newly approved rule can be rescinded within 30 days if two-thirds of Division I members request it. Because that rescission window remains open until Nov. 21, the board determined the policy should take effect after that period. The adjustment from Division I also delays the implementation for Divisions II and III, which voted to adopt the same rules on Oct. 21 and Oct. 22.

The decision to push the ruling back comes at an interesting time. On Tuesday, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey strongly opposed the NCAA’s move to permit college athletes and staff to bet on professional sports, calling it “a major step in the wrong direction” in a letter to NCAA President Charlie Baker.

Sankey wrote, "On behalf of our universities, I write to urge action by the NCAA Division I Board of Directors to rescind this change and reaffirm the Association's commitment to maintaining strong national standards that keep collegiate participants separated from sports wagering activity at every level," Sankey wrote. "If there are legal or practical concerns about the prior policy, those should be addressed through careful refinement -- not through wholesale removal of the guardrails that have long supported the integrity of games and the well-being of those who participate."

He went on to emphasize concerns about athlete vulnerability, noting, “The combination of accessible mobile betting, financial pressures, and social influence makes the possibility of personal gambling losses—and the potential for exploitation—very real. It is foreseeable that college athletes, with far fewer resources and far greater outside influence, can be involved in compromising circumstances… This change normalizes behavior, blurs boundaries, and erodes judgment. What might begin as casual betting can quickly spiral into something far more serious”.​

Sankey was not alone in his fight against the policy. Coaches across the country have spoken out against the policy in press conferences as well as athletic department administrators. NBA legend Charles Barkley also voiced concerns, cautioning that the policy could worsen gambling problems among athletes.  “Anybody who thinks that’s a good idea should have their head examined. We’ve already got an issue with kids gambling now, when they shouldn’t be gambling.”

If the policy is enacted, college athletes and athletics department staff members will be allowed to bet on professional sports that do not involve their school or conference, but cannot wager on college sports or their own teams.

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