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On October 8, 2025, the NCAA Division I Administrative Committee adopted a proposal that would allow for student-athletes and athletics department staff members to bet on professional sports.1 The rule change will take effect on November 1, 2025 if also approved by NCAA Divisions II and III during their respective October committee meetings.
This change would relax the long-standing bar against sports betting by student-athletes and staff.2 However, under the new rule, betting on college sports will remain prohibited.
This proposal comes as the NCAA continues to crack down on college sports betting and pursues alleged misconduct that affects the outcome and integrity of college sports, as reflected by the NCAA's enforcement activity this past September.
On September 11, 2025, the NCAA announced that it is investigating violations of its sports betting rules by 13 former student-athletes previously associated with men's basketball teams at Eastern Michigan, Temple, Arizona State, New Orleans, North Carolina A&T, and Mississippi Valley.3 The NCAA is investigating whether these student-athletes bet on their own games, provided information to third-party sports bettors, and/or manipulated individual or game outcomes. The NCAA is also looking into charges of refusing to cooperate with its investigation. Notably, the NCAA is not currently seeking penalties against the schools or their respective staff for the alleged conduct of these student-athletes.
One day earlier, on September 10, 2025, the NCAA released findings from an investigation into a betting and information-sharing scheme involving three Division I men's basketball players associated with Fresno State and San Jose State.4 The NCAA determined these athletes bet on their own and each other's games, shared betting information with each other, and manipulated on-court performances during the 2024-25 season. This investigation resulted in permanent NCAA ineligibility for the student-athletes, however, the NCAA did not assess penalties to the athletes' schools.
While the NCAA is one step closer to permitting betting on professional sports, its enforcement staff will continue to pursue investigations and resolve matters against those who bet in violation of the Association's rules. To that end, the NCAA's September activity serves as a warning to student-athletes and athletic department staff members of the risks associated with sports betting and provides important lessons to member institutions. Specifically, to ensure compliance with NCAA rules and regulations, participating institutions should:
- Provide mandatory training and education to student-athletes on NCAA bylaws relating to sports betting;
- Adopt clear team policies regarding the prohibitions on sports betting and app use;
- Partner with integrity monitoring services for sports betting and implement rapid escalation policies for unusual betting activities;
- Provide student-athletes with confidential reporting channels;
- Tighten insider information control, limit access to non-public team information, and reiterate to student-athletes that material information concerning the team cannot be shared externally; and
- Maintain an investigation playbook and promptly self-report any suspected NCAA violations to the NCAA upon receiving an alert of suspicious betting activity related to one of the institution's student-athletes and/or teams.
Footnotes
2. Currently, student-athletes and athletics department staff members are prohibited from betting on any sport that is sponsored by the NCAA at any level.
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