On Wednesday, the Division I Administrative Committee adopted a proposal allowing student athletes and athletics department staff members to bet on professional sports.
The rule change must be approved by all three NCAA divisions to go into effect. If Divisions II and III approve the proposal, it will be effective Nov. 1.
“The Administrative Committee was clear in its discussion today that it remains concerned about the risks associated with all forms of sports gambling,” said Illinois athletics director and chair of the committee Josh Whitman. “But ultimately voted to reduce the restrictions on student-athletes in this area to better align with their campus peers.”
While the change would still prohibit college athletes from wagering on sports at the same level, it would lift an order that has stood for 28 years.
The NCAA Position on Gambling was approved on March 19, 1997, banning student-athletes from placing bets on any sport, whether collegiate or professional.
The change would allow all collegiate athletes and staff to legally bet on leagues such as the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and other professional entities.
“The change allows the NCAA, the conferences and the member schools to focus on protecting the integrity of college games while, at the same time, encouraging healthy habits for student-athletes who choose to engage in betting activities on professional sports,” Whitman said.
The regulations regarding betting on NCAA sports at any level will remain in place.
The announcement regarding the potential change comes just a month after three men’s basketball players at Fresno State and San Jose State violated NCAA betting regulations.
Mykell Robinson, Steven Vasquez and Jalen Weaver were released from their respective programs after placing various parlays on themselves and each other.
The Division I Student-Athlete Advisory Committee has backed the change to the wagering rules. The executive team expressed concern over supporting those in need of help surrounding betting complications.
“The NCAA Division I SAAC supports the deregulation of the prohibition on sports wagering related to professional sports,” said the DI SAAC Executive Team. “We believe this change represents meaningful progress toward a culture that prioritizes education, transparency and support over punishment.”
Contact Riley Orovitz at rorovitz@alligator.org. Follow her on X @rileyorovitz
Riley is a sophomore sports journalism student and is the swim & dive beat reporter for Fall 2025 in her first semester with The Alligator. In her free time, she may be watching past Miami Dolphins or Florida Panthers highlights or hanging out with her friends.
