UPDATE (October 29, 2025): The NCAA has delayed the implementation of its new betting policy until November 22, after concerns from conference leaders (notably, a letter from SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey to NCAA President Charlie Baker). This is an ongoing story and subject to change.

Gambling and sports have been intertwined since the inception of athletic competition. However, when money enters the equation, particularly in games with unpredictable outcomes, fairness and sportsmanship become critical concerns.

Historically, the NCAA has maintained a blanket prohibition on all forms of sports gambling by student-athletes and athletic department staff, aiming to protect the integrity of college sports. However, that is all about to change.

In response to evolving attitudes and several recent incidents involving student-athletes and sports betting, the NCAA has adopted a proposal that would permit student-athletes and athletics department staff members to be on professional sports. This is a notable departure from the NCAA’s long-standing zero-tolerance approach.

This shift reflects broader legal trends following the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2018 ruling in Murphy v. NCAA, which struck down the federal ban on sports betting (Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act – PASPA). That ruling opened the door for states to legalize and regulate sports betting, leading to rapid growth in industry and prompting many sports organizations to revisit their policies.

The policy change will take effect on November 1, 2025. Importantly, the NCAA’s proposed change would continue to prohibit:

• Betting on any college sports at any level; and
• Sharing insider information about college competitions with others who may use it for gambling purposes.

The most important detail to note is that while the NCAA will now permit students to gamble, it is only permitted for professional sports. College sports gambling is still strictly prohibited regardless of whether the athlete is gambling on a sport in which they directly participate. The NCAA’s approach may reflect their view and research that professional sports pose a lower risk of integrity issues for student-athletes (and staff), who are far less likely to have insider access to pro-level teams and outcomes. For better or worse, the lifting of the previous restrictions will allow college athletes access to a significant form of entertainment of which a substantial portion of the college peers may already participate.

This proposal signals a more accepting era of legalized sports gambling, while still striving to affirm the NCAA’s commitment to integrity in college athletics. Nevertheless, compliance with NCAA regulations remains a cornerstone of collegiate athletics and safeguarding the integrity of competition continues to be a stated top priority for the NCAA.

For more information about compliance and legal considerations related to sports and gambling, please contact Cameron Baker at cbaker@foxrothschild.com, Samuel Finkel at sfinkel@foxrothschild.com or any member of the firm’s Entertainment & Sports Law Practice.