How will sports betting influence college sports?
Sports betting is becoming more and more prevalent in the United States following the Supreme Court’s decision to lift the federal ban on it in 2018. 11 states have already legalised sports betting and promotions such as accumulators, free betting picks, and bonus offers have seen an ever-increasing number of customers try their hand in the markets.
But, the infiltration of sports betting into the United States has led to some colleges attempt to keep their campus a gambling-free one. Colleges such as Purdue, St Joseph’s and Villanova have banned students from betting on their sports teams, but there is no consensus as to what approach should be taken, if any should be taken at all.
Indeed, the approach to college sports betting differs state by state - as usually is the case. Iowa have kept teaching their athletes rules on sports betting whilst in some Indiana and Pennsylvania colleges, students have been refused entirely to bet on sports events.
This problem is one that is only going to increase. Indeed, over more than double the amount of sports bets were placed in August this year - of $730 - than a year earlier - and that is only going to inflate as sports betting becomes more popular.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (N.C.A.A.) has been a thorn in potential betters for a long time, restricting those connected with college sports, including players, coaches and organizer, from betting on sports or any kind of pool activity on campus.
Student-athletes have been warned for years that they could lose their opportunities to play if they are tied to gambling. But, will it stop them in the future? Accessible, young and often with little money to their name, student-athletes are vulnerable and one can understand why they can be coerced into such activities.
As recently as August, with the landscape of legalized betting evolving by the month, the existing rules of the N.C.A.A. were “reaffirmed” by its Board of Governors, but these do not apply to every student or college employee.
As such, individual campuses have taken it upon themselves to create their own rules to mitigate the wildfire of sports betting. And, it could not come any sooner as almost a quarter of male athletes have defied the N.C.A.A.’s bylaws - according to a 2016 study the association undertook - by gambling on some kind of college activity.
Whilst Penn State University has simply increased its educational outreach, universities in Mississippi have acted forcefully, taking a number of steps to deter misconduct including making a plea to the Mississippi Gaming Commission to find out if their athletes and coaches had won large sums or placed significant bets at casinos.
The state of Arkansas has gone even further, with its university system approving a policy banning employees and students who were involved in placing bets and other betting activity. Students could be suspended for violating the policy, and employees could be fired.
But, enforcement will be difficult with frequent violations of college policies that try to police sports betting. And, whatever the current situation, it’s only going to get more pertinent as more states legalize sports betting and more people take to the market, especially as offers, promotions and accessibility improves.
