NCAA athletes and athletic department staff will not be allowed to bet on professional sports after the organization’s membership voted Friday to rescind a rule change that would have permitted those bets.
The move follows a string of high-profile gambling cases that have raised questions about the integrity of competition in college and pro sports. In late October, an NBA coach and player were arrested in a takedown of two sprawling gambling operations, and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier was accused of exploiting private information about players to win bets on NBA games.
The NCAA announced two weeks ago that it was revoking the eligibility of six men’s basketball players over allegations of sports betting. And on Friday, the NCAA said former Temple guard Hysier Miller placed dozens of bets on Owls games, including some against his team.
The rule change to allow gambling on pro sports would have taken effect on Nov. 1, but under a rarely used rule, each Division I school was given 30 days to vote to rescind the proposal, since it was adopted by less than 75% of the DI cabinet.
More than two-thirds of DI members needed to vote to stop the rule change, and that number was reached on Friday. The 30-day period would have ended Saturday.
Even if the rule had passed, athletes and athletic department staff would have continued to be banned from any betting on NCAA events.
The vote by DI members also applies to Divisions II and III, which had also been poised to allow gambling on pro sports. Such bets will continue to be banned at all three levels.
Late last month, Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey sent a note to NCAA President Charlie Baker expressing concerns about the rule change. The two members of the DI cabinet from the SEC had voted in favor of allowing pro sports betting.
NCAA enforcement caseloads involving sports betting violations have increased in recent years. There are at least another dozen cases currently being investigated.