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The proposal now advances to Divisions II and III for consideration during their respective governance meetings scheduled for later this month. All three divisions must approve the measure before it becomes official NCAA policy.
The decision represents the latest effort by the NCAA to reconcile its longstanding prohibitions on gambling with the evolving legal landscape following the Supreme Court's 2018 decision to overturn the federal ban on sports betting. It also acknowledges growing pressure to treat student-athletes more equitably compared to their non-athlete peers on campus, who face no restrictions on legal gambling activities.
"The Administrative Committee was clear in its discussion today that it remains concerned about the risks associated with all forms of sports gambling, but ultimately voted to reduce restrictions on student-athletes in this area to better align with their campus peers," said Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman, who chairs the committee. "This change allows the NCAA, the conferences, and the member schools to focus on protecting the integrity of college games while, at the same time, encouraging healthy habits for student-athletes who choose to engage in betting activities on professional sports."
The committee said that the proposal "is not an endorsement of sports betting, particularly for student-athletes," signaling awareness of the potential risks involved.
Despite the loosening of restrictions on professional sports betting, the NCAA maintains firm boundaries designed to protect the integrity of collegiate competition. The organization will continue to prohibit:
These prohibitions reflect the NCAA's determination to insulate college athletics from the conflicts of interest and corruption that could arise from gambling on games in which athletes, coaches, or staff have direct involvement or knowledge.
