The NCAA Released New Punishments for Gambling

The NCAA released new punishments for gambling on sports. While this is a good step forward toward clarity for athletes on what they can and cannot do, there are still some issues. Gambling rules for college athletes are even more complicated than before. We break it down in detail.

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A Change to the NCAA's Gambling Rules 

Historically, betting on any sport offered by the NCAA is prohibited and in the past, it has resulted in a loss of a full season of eligibility for any players involved. However, this has been somewhat controversial as more and more states legalize gambling and the NCAA now has to regulate repeated occurrences where their players and coaches are caught betting on sports.

It's refreshing that the NCAA cares enough to make some updates, but there is still some work to be done. Many people thought the new rules would make everything clear on what athletes can and cannot do, but in reality the new rules are more complicated!

The new rules state that athletes that influence the outcome of games they’re involved in or provide information to others on those games they’re involved in will lose all eligibility permanently. In addition, athletes who bet on their own sport but not their own school, could lose up to 50% of one season. Beyond that, there is some significant grey area.

A Sliding Punishment Scale

For all other betting-related violations, the dollar value will be considered when determining the punishment. Bets of more than $800 could result in a loss of 30% of a season, plus rules and education. Bets totaling less than that threshold could result in less than 30% of a season lost.

This is the first time the NCAA has opened the door to smaller punishments, as now players who gamble may be reinstated after a short suspension. This is a significant shift, and one that certainly could lead to more instances where college athletes make the news for gambling.

So, What's the Takeaway?

In summary, the NCAA still doesn’t know how to handle gambling!  Now this author is just a guy, but it seems like it doesn’t have to be that complicated:

When it comes to college athletes betting on pro sports…allow it!  If a college football player wants to bet on an NBA game in a legal state, more power to them. There's no insider information being exchanged, and most importantly, it's legal all over the country.

Just draw the line at betting on any college sports! We don’t need a sliding scale that encourages gray area, or he said, she said about whether or not the college athlete had information on a game involving other schools. This would overwhelmingly simplify things and allow college athletes to bet on certain sports without any grey area on others.

Do you think college athletes should be allowed to bet on sports? Let us know what you think on Twitter.

Remember to gamble responsibly and set limits on your betting activities. Set a budget for yourself and stick to it, and never bet more than you can afford to lose. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.