NCAA rules prohibit all student-athletes, coaches and staff (including those outside of the athletics departments who have oversight over athletics) from wagering on any intercollegiate and professional sport, at any level, that is sponsored by the NCAA. This means that the prohibition covers not only wagering on NCAA basketball, football, hockey, etc., but also wagering on the NBA, NFL, NHL, etc., since these sports are sponsored by the NCAA.
Prohibited Gambling Activities
The NCAA strictly prohibits student-athletes, coaches and staff from engaging in the following activities:
- Soliciting a bet on any intercollegiate or professional team.
- Accepting a bet on any team representing the institution.
- Soliciting or accepting a bet on any intercollegiate or professional competition for any item (e.g. cash, shirt, dinner) that has tangible value.
- Participating in any gambling activity that involves intercollegiate athletics or professional athletics, through a bookmaker, a parlay card or any other method employed by organized gambling, including pools, auctions and fantasy leagues.
- Knowingly providing information to individuals involved in any type of organized gambling activities concerning intercollegiate athletics competition.
Given the seriousness of this issue, the NCAA's penalties for gambling are severe. NCAA rules state that student-athletes, coaches or staff who engage in activities such as point shaving or bet on contests at their own institutions, or any collegiate institution, can be ruled permanently ineligible and jeopardize the institution's athletic department.
