The NCAA has released findings from a recent survey conducted among campus compliance directors regarding sports wagering issues. The results showed a significant increase in sports wagering problems involving athletes and staff at autonomy schools, with 27% reporting incidents in the past year compared to 3% in 2019.
Additionally, 25% of autonomy conference compliance administrators reported awareness of athletes experiencing harassment from individuals with gambling interests.
NCAA President Charlie Baker initiated the survey to gauge the perceptions of campus administrators on sports wagering trends and efforts to educate athletes, coaches, and affiliated personnel. Baker emphasized the need for assistance from regulators and sportsbooks.
The survey reached senior compliance administrators at Division I, II, and III member schools, collecting over 500 responses. The results revealed that more than 95% of Division I schools and a majority of Division II and III schools provide some form of sports wagering education.
Topics covered in the education programs include NCAA bylaws, sports wagering terminology, and state/national laws. Notably, more schools are addressing well-being issues like gambling addiction compared to 2019.
Clint Hangebrauck, the managing director of enterprise risk management at the NCAA, expressed the value of the survey in developing e-learning resources for sports wagering education. These resources will be introduced to the membership later this year.
The collaboration between the NCAA and Epic Risk Management has received positive feedback, and there are plans to develop a comprehensive sports wagering gambling harm prevention program. Over 20,000 individuals have already participated in-person in this program since 2022.
Many compliance administrators expressed the need for additional resources from the NCAA on sports wagering. The national office is currently working on educational modules that will be available in the fall.
Integrity monitoring services are also being utilized, with one-third of autonomy schools actively engaged and others accessing information through conferences or the NCAA national office. These services aid in identifying suspicious betting activity that may pose integrity concerns.