Amid the growth and expansion of legal sports wagering across the United States, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) announced its intentions to support changes to betting legislation, seeking to ensure the integrity of its competitions. Besides strengthening integrity, the proposals seek to raise awareness of problem gambling and protect student-athletes from coercion or harassment.
The NCAA acknowledged that there are currently 38 states that have implemented laws that legalize sports wagering. However, it said, that while some states offer complex rules for protecting of the athletes, others do not. This is why the Association surveyed student-athletes, seeking to improve the regulations and develop a model that it would propose to different states. The changes seek to protect the student-athletes, game officials, coaches, as well as other sports personnel, shielding them from betting-related harassment, problem gambling or malpractices related to integrity.
Ultimately, the NCAA said that it plans to collaborate with lawmakers to implement the changes across different states. It supports “mandatory reporting hotlines for gambling authorities to report such behavior to law enforcement,” as well as an increase of penalties for bettors that engage in harassment of student-athletes. Additionally, the Association proposes mandatory education for gambling operators that would enable them to identify harassment.
Further changes that would be proposed include ramped-up efforts against underage sports wagering. Additionally, the NCAA’s proposal calls for the inclusion of details about the harassment hotline and information on problem gambling within any sports betting advertisements. Last but not least, it said that revenue generated from betting should be dedicated to the education of students from higher-risk populations.
Changes to Protect and Educate Student-Athletes
Morgyn Wynne, the vice chair of the Division I Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, revealed that currently, the well-being and health of student-athletes is of utmost importance. She added: “With the legalization of sports betting, it is imperative that we take a proactive approach to protecting student-athletes from the potential of negative engagement with bettors.” Finally, Wynne supported legislative changes that seek to prioritize the protection of student-athletes and safeguard them from harmful activities.
“The NCAA is making changes to help student-athletes make smart choices when it comes to sports betting, but given the explosive growth of this new industry, we are eager to partner with lawmakers, regulators and industry leaders to protect student-athletes from harassment and threats.“
Charlie Baker, president of the NCAA
Charlie Baker, NCAA’s president, revealed that the Association is collaborating with student-athletes to ensure they make smart choices when it comes to wagering. Still, he added that the NCAA is motivated to collaborate with regulators and lawmakers to ensure the protection of student-athletes. Baker spoke about the betting legislation in different states, saying that some offer protection but others need to do more.
Velimir Velichkov
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