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After strong negative sentiment was expressed by numerous high-ranking individuals in college sports, including SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey, the NCAA has announced that it will delay the effective date for a new policy allowing NCAA student-athletes to gamble on professional sports from November 1 to November 22. The announcement was made in the attached press release issued by the NCAA this afternoon.
In a letter to NCAA President Charlie Baker on October 25, Sankey had stated that the policy change "represents a major step in the wrong direction." To illustrate his concerns, Sankey pointed to the FBI's recent arrests of multiple NBA players and coaches in connection with a wide-ranging gambling scandal, including Portland Trail Blazers Coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier.
"The simple act of participating in gambling normalizes behavior, blurs boundaries and erodes judgment," Sankey said in the memo.
Prior to the announcement of today's delay, there had been some other forceful responses to the NCAA's removal of the gambling ban, notably from Pittsburgh football coach Pat Narduzzi, who called it "absolutely one of the stupidest decisions I've ever seen."
On October 8, 2025, the NCAA's Division I Administrative Committee approved a proposal allowing both student-athletes and collegiate team staff members to wager on professional sports, while maintaining a strict prohibition on any betting activities related to collegiate athletics. The policy change later garnered the approval of the NCAA's Division II and Division III, paving the way for it to take effect on November 1.
We will continue tracking further developments on this front. Read our in-depth blog on the NCAA's new gambling policy here.
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