The NCAA altered some of its sports betting violation penalty guidelines Wednesday, as the organization takes a closer look at how sports wagering impacts its athletes.'
Previously, NCAA guidelines stripped all eligibility from student-athletes who wagered on teams at their own schools. New guidelines lighten those penalties, provided the player isn't wagering on their own team.
The new rules state that a student-athlete who wagers on another team at their school will lose one season of eligibility and be required to participate in sports wagering education training. If a player wagers on their own team, they still face permanent eligibility loss.'
“To be clear, Division I members do not encourage student-athletes to engage in sports wagering at any level, and the actions today to modify reinstatement conditions should not be interpreted as support for wagering behaviors,” Jon Steinbrecher, chair of the NCAA Council Coordination Committee and commissioner of the Mid-American Conference, said in a statement. “NCAA members continue to prioritize integrity of competition and felt that reinstatement conditions for violations of wagering rules should reflect that focus and, when possible, also accommodate opportunities for preventative education.”