The NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) and US universities are reportedly considering changes to their policies and monitoring strategies in response to the expanding sports betting industry and the legalization of this type of gambling in over 35 states.
With more than 500,000 student-athletes under its jurisdiction, the association acknowledges the importance of evolving its approach to keep up with the rapidly changing landscape and prevalence of sports betting on college campuses.
The alleged considered changes also come amid a wave of recent scandals involving sports gambling and mounting concerns about the integrity of games. They also follow NCAA President Charlie Baker’s recent remarks that sports betting presents a revenue opportunity for the NCAA, although the new head of the association said the NCAA must continue working to prevent problem gambling among college athletes.
Dan Trolaro, U.S. Vice President of Prevention with EPIC Risk Management, a gambling harm reduction company that partners with the NCAA, emphasized the impact of increased gambling opportunities in conversation with ABC15.
“When you have increased accessibility and availability, you’re going to start to see people experiment,” Trolaro stated. He further highlighted that college athletes are particularly susceptible to developing gambling-related problems, stating they are “up to four times” more likely to suffer these issues.
In light of this scenario, the NCAA has set gambling prevention as a major goal. But the association is also realistic that wagering is gaining space. Acknowledging the reality of student-athletes engaging in betting activities, Trolaro added: “It’s not going away, it’s only going to continue to grow.”
