Sankey Urges NCAA to Nix Ruling on Athletes Betting

In a memo, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey implored the NCAA to overturn its decision on allowing collegiate athletes to bet on professional sports.

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In a letter obtained by Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger, Sankey states that all SEC university presidents are united in the effort to reverse the NCAA's decision to allow college athletes to bet on professional sports. "The SEC's Presidents and Chancellors believe the NCAA should restore its prior policy—or a modified policy—communicating a prohibition on gambling by student-athletes and athletics staff, regardless of the divisional level of their sport."

In the letter, Sankey writes, "The integrity of competition is directly threatened when anyone with insider access becomes involved in gambling. Even when the wagers are placed on professional sports, the simple act of participating in gambling normalizes behavior, blurs boundaries, and erodes judgment."

Sankey also addressed the concern about potential exploitation of the SEC's student-athletes, writing, "We are equally concerned about the vulnerability of our student-athletes. The combination of accessible mobile betting, financial pressures, and social influence makes the possibility of personal gambling losses˘—and the potential for exploitation—very real. What might begin as casual betting can quickly spiral into something far more serious."

The ruling was scheduled to take effect on Saturday; however, the NCAA announced on Tuesday evening that the effective date of the change had been pushed back to November 22, granting the possibility that the legislation could be rescinded.

Those in support of the change believe it continues the evolutionary trend of further integrating student-athletes with their typical peers on campus, who are permitted to gamble on sports. Opponents of the change believe it harms the integrity of athletics and exposes student-athletes to exploitation.

The reversal comes in light of the recent NBA betting scandal, involving an alleged illegal sports betting scheme with ties to organized crime, and months after several former men's basketball athletes were caught reportedly betting on their own games.