The NCAA News - News and Features

The NCAA News -- July 5, 1999

Gambling impact proposals draw support from NCAA

NCAA President Cedric W. Dempsey has challenged college and university leaders to address sports-gambling issues on their campuses after the release of a report June 18 from the National Gambling Impact Study Commission.

Dempsey also said the NCAA supports the commission's recommendations to ban legal betting on collegiate and amateur athletics events, to restrict legal gambling to those over age 21, and to adopt a federal ban on Internet gambling.

"The NCAA's support for these recommendations is consistent with the Association's strong anti-sports gambling stance," he said.

The gambling commission issued a broad-ranging report on gambling following a two-year study. William S. Saum, NCAA director of agent and gambling activities, delivered testimony for the Association twice before the commission, and several recommendations in the report target issues of interest to the Association.

"We commend the commission for its efforts to heighten awareness about the problems associated with gambling, including the potential effects of sports wagering on intercollegiate athletics," Dempsey said.

"For nearly three years, the NCAA has increasingly raised awareness among student-athletes, coaches and other athletics staff to help them understand problems associated with sports-gambling activity. We are committed to making our membership more aware of this problem and working with law enforcement to ensure that compliance with federal and state gambling laws is a high priority."

The NCAA has taken an official stand in opposition to all forms of legal and illegal sports wagering and has adopted legislation that prohibits university athletics department members, athletics conference office staff and student-athletes from participating in sports-gambling activities involving intercollegiate or professional sporting events. Those found in violation of the bylaws are subject to penalties. Before competing, student-athletes at member colleges and universities sign statements acknowledging that they have not participated and will not participate in gambling activities.

In addition, the NCAA will conduct background checks pertaining to gambling for 100 game officials selected to work in the Division I men's and women's basketball tournaments beginning next year.

Dempsey said the next step is for colleges and universities to address the issue campus-by-campus.

"I challenge our colleges and universities to become even more involved with us and take steps to identify and remove gambling influences that may exist on campuses," he said. "I urge our campus leaders to educate not only the student-athletes but everyone on our campuses about sports gambling.

"The NCAA also supports the commission's recognition of gambling influences on youth, and supports the recommendation to restrict legal gambling to those over age 21.

"We know that wagering on college sports is sometimes an entry point into gambling for youth, and the fastest growing group of new gamblers includes our college-age students."

The NCAA previously has spoken in favor of another commission recommendation, the adoption of federal legislation aimed at prohibiting Internet gambling.

"Internet gambling offers a student virtual anonymity and widespread opportunity to place wagers on professional and college sports even from the privacy of a campus residence," Dempsey said. "For the NCAA, this creates the potential that a student-athlete could place a wager, then attempt to influence the outcome of a game while participating in the contest. We are also concerned that the growth of Internet gambling may be fueled by college students who have easy access to the Internet.

"Students and student-athletes who develop gambling problems behind closed doors are difficult to reach. The NCAA believes there is a serious need for federal legislation prohibiting Internet gambling."

The NCAA has strongly endorsed federal legislation introduced by Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Arizona, to ban gambling over the Internet. The Senate Judiciary Committee approved the legislation in mid-June. Dempsey also said the NCAA will respond to the commission's recommendation to seek the cooperation of member colleges and universities to develop more research on sports and youth gambling.

"We will ask the NCAA's Research Committee to review issues related to sports gambling and to consider the commission's recommendations," Dempsey said. "We also will continue our practice of utilizing time during televised championships to air public service announcements as a way to reach our youth audience with messages about sports gambling."

Dempsey renewed his request to the media to play a more active role in efforts against sports wagering. The report did not specifically make recommendations regarding the role of sports touts, but it mentions the availability and potential impact of point spreads on sports wagering.

"I challenge the media not to publish collegiate point spreads," said Dempsey. "I also would like to see newspapers ban the unethical practice of reporters placing bets on teams they cover."

In remarks to the media after the release of the study, Saum said that media should play a role in improving the problems with sports gambling.

"We believe deeply in this whole idea of resensitizing society, and we believe that we need to continue to raise awareness....We believe that there are many components to trying to make a difference in this area of legal and illegal sports wagering, whether it's us at the national office or whether it's athletes or whether it's coaches.

"But one of the components that needs to step up to the plate is the media. Certainly the media has been very willing to discuss the gambling issue and we're very appreciative of that, but we need to take the next step."

Saum noted that the public opinion may be turning in favor of those who want to exercise greater controls over gambling.

"We saw some facts come out of the Gallup Poll," Saum said. "It was interesting to us that two-thirds of the teens and adults who were surveyed believe betting on sporting events leads to cheating or fixing and that (more than) 50 percent of adults oppose betting on sports as a way to raise state revenues."

NCAA anti-gambling initiatives

Recent NCAA education and awareness initiatives relating to gambling: