Considering the expansion of legal sports betting that is already available in more than 30 US states, concerns about the integrity of sports competitions continue to grow. Earlier this year, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) announced a number of suspensions over alleged gambling violations.

Then, earlier this month, the NCAA confirmed its plans to revise the penalties for athletes suspended due to sports wagering. The proposed changes to the guidelines sought to change the penalties for athletes who have placed bets on sports but did not wager on their team. While earlier this month, the NCAA Committee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement confirmed the new guidelines, now, the policies face a delay, as announced by The Des Moines Register.

On Wednesday, the NCAA Division I Council Coordination Committee confirmed that the voting on the changes to the reinstatement guidelines will be delayed for two weeks. According to the Committee’s chair, Jon Steinbrecher, this decision came after the Conference Commissioners Association Executive Committee asked for more time. He said that the two-week delay would be used for collecting membership feedback for the planned changes. Finally, Steinbrecher pointed out: “The coordination committee reemphasized the need for the Association to move deliberately and have in-depth conversations about the current wagering landscape.”

“The council agreed with commissioners earlier this month that the penalties for wagering violations in limited circumstances should be adjusted and the respective committees moved quickly to recommend possible changes. However, the Conference Commissioners Association Executive Committee, today, requested a brief delay to allow more time for membership feedback on the proposed adjustment, and the coordination committee voted to honor that request.“

Jon Steinbrecher, chair of the NCAA Division I Council Coordination Committee

Proposed Changes May Ease Penalties for First-Time Offenders

Recently, the NCAA showed support for changes to betting legislation across the country. At the time, the Association confirmed that it plans to collaborate with lawmakers, ensuring the integrity of its competitions and raising awareness of problem gambling.

Additionally, the NCAA said that it plans to protect students from harassment and coercion. In the recently proposed changes to the reinstatement guidelines, the Association explores the option to reinstate penalized athletes if it’s their first offense. Such athletes would have the option to compete but must undergo education. Still, it’s important to mention that this rule would apply only to athletes who have placed sports bets but not on their team.

Back in August, Noah Shannon, the defensive tackle for Iowa Hawkeyes was suspended for a season. After a month, his appeal was denied. While there is a chance for Shannon to return, it is still uncertain if and when he may return, considering the planned changes to the reinstatement guidelines.

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Calvin Ridley, an American football wide receiver, was suspended from the NFL for wagering on sports. The reformed player acknowledged his mistake and will now try to return to competing.

Ridley Wagered on Sports

Ridley was suspended after placing several mobile wagers in November 2021. It is known that Ridley placed around 10 bets and made a few parlay wagers. In total, the wide receiver wagered around $1,500.

Experts found out that in his playtime, Ridley had made parlays which included the Atlanta Falcons, which were his team at the time. Luckily for Ridley, investigators did not find any evidence of fraud or game information leak.

However professional NFL athletes are prohibited from betting as they might undermine the integrity of the league. Because of such concerns, Hard Rock contacted Genius Sports, the NFL’s sports data provider, and informed it that Ridley had bet. As a result, the player was reprimanded and suspended from competing professionally.

Ridley bet on his own volition, with his NFL coaches, teammates, competitors and staff being unaware of his wagering activity. According to a post he made on Twitter, the player does not suffer from problem gambling.

Ridley Began the Reinstatement Process

In November 2022, Ridley was acquired by the Jacksonville Jaguars despite still being suspended. The team believes that once the player will be a great option for quarterback Trevor Lawrence once he returns to competing professionally.

Ridley will now begin the process of returning to the league. As outlined in his suspension, Ridley became able to apply for reinstatement on February 15, 2023. The player applied for reinstatement as soon as possible and now hopes to return to the NFL.

Wagering Athletes Undermine the Integrity of Pro Sports

Athletes betting on sports are something that is widely regarded as problematic in professional competitions. Allowing professionals to wager may give them an unfair advantage over average bettors, compromising the fairness of sports betting.

In addition, wagering athletes may oftentimes be convinced to fix matches, thus undermining the integrity of professional sports as well.

Because of that, in 2022, UFC betting was temporarily banned in Ontario as the league did not follow some of the standards expected by the regulator. These concerns came amid a big betting scandal involving several professional UFC athletes and leading to the suspensions of a number of players. Soon after that, the UFC teamed up with US Integrity to improve its integrity controls.

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