The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has identified gambling by athletes as a major threat to the integrity of intercollegiate athletics and responded with the development of a comprehensive education program for student athletes at NCAA member schools.

Highly publicized betting scandals among student-athletes have shaped public perceptions of college gambling. Although these scandals are rare in the greater context of collegiate sports, past research indicates that both student athletes and students who are sports fans do gamble more than others students. These findings are consistent with previous research on college athletes. However, more recent studies found that NCAA athletes are gambling less and have fewer gambling-related problems, suggesting that prevention efforts have been effective.

NCAA and College Sports Gambling

After a series of incidents that involved college athletes and illegal sports wagering, the NCAA determined there was an increased need to further educate students about the strict rules surrounding college sports gambling.

NCAA Official Position/Statement 

The NCAA has identified gambling by athletes as a major threat to the integrity of intercollegiate athletics and has responded with the development of a comprehensive education program called Don’t Bet on It. In addition, research indicates that both student athletes and students who are sports fans gamble more often than other students, indicating that these subgroups are appropriate targets for prevention efforts.