NCAA Comes Down on College Athletics With 175 Sports Betting Violations
Published: September 11, 2023
Many involved in the college athletics industry are placing sports bets on their own school or team, which is becoming a growing concern for sports organizations like the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
According to a recent report from the NCAA, there have been 175 violations of sports betting regulations since 2018. The violations include everyone from college student-athletes to coaches to administrators, who’ve all placed wagers on the sports they’re involved with or know specific details about.
The charges range from “$5 wagers” to “providing insider information.” This comes after two of Alabama’s head coaches were caught for suspicious wagering activity in April when they reportedly attempted to bet $100,000 on their own team’s game against LSU.
And those coaches aren’t the only ones using their expertise to cash in on sports betting. Officials at Iowa and Iowa State announced that they were investigating more than 40 student-athletes for potential sports betting infractions.
Increasing attention has fallen on college sports wagering recently because, as sports betting expands, organizations like the NCAA are working to strike a balance between states looking to increase tax revenue with sports betting while promoting fair play and protecting student-athletes’ well-being.
So, what does all of this have to do with the everyday Ohioan? Even though most of the state isn’t involved in college athletics, a growing number of people are getting involved with sports betting since its legalization in January 2023.
With that in mind, it’s important to remember how to keep sports betting or other gambling activities responsible. A great place to start is by recognizing the signs that gambling or betting has moved beyond a hobby and is becoming a problem. Signs of a potential problem include:
- Borrowing money for betting.
- Feeling restless or irritable when not betting.
- Spending a lot of time gambling, thinking about, or planning to bet.
- Lying about or hiding how much time or money is spent on betting.
- Exaggerating wins and minimizing losses.
- Withdrawing from relationships or hobbies.
You can prepare by gauging your risk level for a problem with gambling, learning more about the issue in Ohio, and gathering tips on responsible play, all at PauseBeforeYouPlay.org/the-issue/.
And remember, if you or someone you know is struggling with a problem with betting or gambling, help is available 24/7 by calling the free and confidential Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-589-9966 or by texting 4HOPE to 741741. When you call, you can connect with trained and understanding specialists who are ready to help with no commitments or strings attached.