The NBA is currently dealing with a wild sports gambling case that could get a lot worse as more details emerge, and now SEC commissioner Greg Sankey wants to make sure that his college sports athletes are protected in a world where sports betting has become so prevalent.
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The NCAA ruled this year that college athletes and staff members would be allowed to bet on professional games, including the NBA, NFL, NHL and MLB, but Sankey staunchly opposed this measure and is calling on the governing body to change its course in 2025.
According to Sankey, the NCAA’s ruling was a “major step in the wrong direction” as it could potentially leave college athletes more vulnerable.
“We are equally concerned about the vulnerability of our student-athletes. The combination of accessible mobile betting, financial pressuress, and social influence makes the possibility of personal gambling losses — and the potential for exploitation — very real,” Sankey’s letter reads. “… It is foreseeable that college athletes, with far fewer resources and far greater outside influence, can be involved in compromising circumstances.”
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As the NBA and other pro leagues endure an ongoing sports betting battle it will be interesting to see how the NCAA navigates the space. Just earlier this season, Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer was accused of using Venmo to pay for sports betting.
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