Yesterday, the NCAA released the findings of a new survey of campus compliance directors that inquired about the directors’ experience with sports betting-related issues. As it turns out, a concerning 27% of autonomy schools have dealt with sports betting problems among their athletes and staff.
The reported number marks a significant increase from 2019. To make matters worse, a similar percentage of autonomy conference compliance administrators said that athletes on their campus got harassed online by sports bettors.
The survey was commissioned by NCAA president Charlie Baker who wanted to see how campus administrators face betting trends and problems. Baker noted that, unfortunately, student-athletes are constantly subjected to harassment by bettors. At the same time, billion-dollar ad campaigns continue to target young people across the USA.
Because of these problems, Baker noted that his team will need help from regulators and sportsbooks to protect student-athletes from harassment, betting problems and match manipulations. He said that the data from the current survey will fuel the NCAA’s tools, helping the organization provide gambling education to young players.
Clint Hangebrauck, NCAA’s managing director of enterprise risk management, echoed Baker’s words, saying that the data will help the association develop educational tools.
Administrators Desire More Educational Resources
The NCAA noted that the survey targeted the senior compliance administrator from each Division I, II and III member school, to provide the NCAA with a better understanding of the underlying issues. Administered in July and August, the survey was completed by more than 500 respondents.
The survey confirmed that over 95% of Division I schools and a majority of Division II and III schools have at least some form of sports betting education for players, coaches and administrators. In addition to discussing NCAA bylaws, betting terms and gambling laws, many schools also address gambling problems and harm.
The NCAA noted that compliance administrators approved the association’s collaboration with EPIC Risk Management. Many of them also expressed their desire to receive more wagering resources from the NCAA. For reference, the national office staff is currently developing educational modules that will be available to administrators very soon.
The NCAA concluded that many schools also use monitoring services that allow them to identify suspicious patterns. Around a third of autonomy schools have an agreement with such service providers. Others, on the other hand, are getting access to such information through their conference office or the NCAA national office.