Michigan Prepares Student-Athletes for NCAA Betting Rule Shift
Michigan universities are preparing student-athletes for a potential rule change that could soon permit wagering on professional sports. If it happens, the state wants students to be ready.
The NCAA Division I Administrative Committee approved a proposal last week that, if fully adopted, would allow student-athletes to place bets on professional sports beginning Nov. 1. Divisions II and III are expected to vote on the same measure later this month. If passed, the policy would apply nationwide.
The proposed change would directly affect athletes at the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, and other state institutions, allowing them to legally download Michigan sports betting apps and place wagers on professional events. However, betting on college sports would remain prohibited.
University of Michigan Senior Associate Athletic Director for Football External Operations David Ablauf said the school has already begun preparing its athletes for the expected shift. He confirmed that compliance teams have informed students of the proposal and plan to expand educational efforts as the effective date approaches.
The NCAA stated that the move is intended to better align student-athletes with their non-athlete peers, who are already permitted to bet legally in states such as Michigan. Committee Chair and Illinois Athletics Director Josh Whitman emphasized that the change should not be seen as an endorsement of sports wagering but as an effort to modernize outdated restrictions.
NCAA investigates college basketball gambling violations
The NCAA's pending rule change comes as the organization continues to investigate multiple gambling scandals in men's college basketball. In September, the NCAA announced that 13 former players from six schools were implicated in betting-related violations.
Some of the players wagered on their own teams, manipulated game outcomes, and shared inside information with third parties. The universities involved include Eastern Michigan, Temple, Arizona State, New Orleans, North Carolina A&T, and Mississippi Valley State.
None of the players remain enrolled at their respective schools, and the NCAA declined to release their names until disciplinary proceedings are completed. The association confirmed that several third parties were linked to multiple cases and that outside influences compromised some athletes.
"The rise of sports betting is creating more opportunity for athletes across sports to engage in this unacceptable behavior, and while legalized sports betting is here to stay, regulators and gaming companies can do more to reduce these integrity risks by eliminating prop bets and giving sports leagues a seat at the table when setting policies," NCAA president Charlie Baker said in a release.
