NCAA Nears Historic Vote to Allow College Athletes to Bet on Professional Sports

The Division I Administrative Committee approved the change in a vote on Wednesday, October 8, 2025. This decision reflects a broad shift toward modernizing rules and aligning student-athletes’ conduct with that of their non-athlete campus peers. For the change to be fully implemented, the Division II and Division III Committees must also approve the proposal. Both are expected to consider the request later this month, meaning the new rule could take effect as early as November 1.

Modernizing Rules and Shifting Focus to Harm Reduction

The move does not signal a change in the NCAA’s concern over gambling risks. Rather, it represents a strategic shift toward harm reduction and prioritizing the integrity of college competition.

Josh Whitman, Director of Athletics at the University of Illinois and Chair of the Division I Administrative Committee, commented on the vote. He stated that the committee voted to reduce restrictions on student-athletes “to better align with their campus peers.” He explained that the initial NCAA bylaws were written when sports gambling was “largely illegal nationwide.”

Whitman emphasized the new focus: “This change allows the NCAA, the conferences, and the member schools to focus on protecting the integrity of college games while, at the same time, encouraging healthy habits for student-athletes who choose to engage in betting activities on professional sports.”

Tim Sands, President of Virginia Tech, added that the timing is right “to modernize these rules by removing prohibitions against betting on professional sports and focusing on harm reduction strategies for behaviors that do not impact college sports directly.”

College Sports Betting Remains Prohibited

Despite the move to permit professional sports wagering, the NCAA maintains its most stringent prohibitions to safeguard the integrity of college competition.

The core rules remaining in effect are:

• College Sports Wagering: The rule banning athletes and staff from betting on college sports remains strictly in place.
• Information Sharing: The NCAA continues to prohibit sharing information about college competitions with gamblers.
• Integrity Violations: Severe penalties will still apply to student-athletes who manipulate their own games, wager on or against their own teams, or provide any gambling-related information to third parties.

The Division I Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) offered its support for the measure, framing it as a cultural shift. The SAAC believes the change represents meaningful progress toward a culture that “prioritizes education, transparency and support over punishment.” They are hopeful that removing unnecessary barriers will encourage student-athletes to “come forward, seek help and engage in open dialogue without fear.”

The decision comes amid a recent surge in sports betting violation cases, including instances where players were punished for manipulating their performances to win wagers. Jon Duncan, NCAA Vice President of Enforcement, confirmed that the enforcement staff’s primary focus “will remain on those cases and those behaviors that impact the integrity of college sports most directly.”