NCAA Probes Ex-Players from Six Schools for Sports Betting Violations

The NCAA recently announced an investigation into 13 Division I men’s basketball players at six schools. Temple and Arizona State are among those facing scrutiny for alleged violations of gambling rules.

This whole thing has exposed some pretty serious issues in college sports. Legalized sports betting seems to be having a bigger impact on athletes and the integrity of the game than many expected.

The alleged violations are pretty wild. They include athletes betting on and against their own teams, sharing inside info with bettors, and even manipulating game outcomes.

Let’s take a closer look at what’s actually happening and what it all might mean for college athletics.

The Scope of the NCAA Investigation

The NCAA is focusing on 13 athletes from six schools: Temple, Arizona State, Eastern Michigan, New Orleans, Mississippi Valley State, and North Carolina A&T. The allegations cover a range of behavior:

• Betting on and against their own teams
• Sharing insider information with bettors
• Manipulating game outcomes

So far, none of the athletes have been named. The NCAA says none of them are still enrolled at their old schools.

The investigation is all about the athletes themselves. No schools or staff members are facing allegations here.

Arizona State University’s Response

Arizona State University has acknowledged the investigation. They clarified it’s about a former student-athlete who’s no longer at the university.

The school says it’s fully cooperating with the inquiries. They made it clear they’re not implicated in any wrongdoing.

Federal Investigations and Broader Implications

This NCAA probe seems connected to a much larger federal investigation. There’s a widespread college basketball gambling scheme, and it’s even linked to the NBA.

Federal prosecutors are looking into whether this scheme ties back to the Department of Justice’s case against Jontay Porter, a former Toronto Raptors center. Porter admitted to manipulating his performance to help bettors and pled guilty to wire fraud conspiracy.

Several others have been charged or are negotiating plea deals. It’s a mess that’s spreading beyond just college sports.

NBA and College Basketball Connections

The investigation has pulled in Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier too. At least five colleges have come under the FBI’s microscope for possible connections to this gambling ring.

The US District Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York is handling the federal side. Meanwhile, the NCAA is running its own investigation independently.

The Rise of Legalized Sports Betting

With nearly 40 states now allowing sports wagering, online gambling has exploded. That growth gives athletes way more chances to get involved in gambling, which puts college sports at risk.

The NCAA says it monitors over 22,000 contests every year. They work with watchdog companies to track any weird or potentially illegal betting activity.

NCAA’s Stance on Sports Betting

NCAA President Charlie Baker has been pretty vocal about all this. He says the association is committed to aggressively protecting competition integrity.

Baker wants tougher regulations and has called for a ban on prop bets, since those are especially easy to manipulate. The NCAA is also thinking about relaxing some rules so college athletes could bet on professional sports—just not their own teams or sports.

Proposed Changes and Future Outlook

The NCAA has floated the idea of letting college athletes bet on pro sports, as long as they stay away from betting on their own teams or sports. They’re planning to consider this proposal in the fall.