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Read Full BioThe NCAA has revealed that it is pursuing penalties against 13 more college basketball players for sports betting rule violations.
The news follows the college athletics organization banning three basketball players from Fresno and San Jose State this week. In that case, one player, Mykell Robinson, was found to be deliberately underperforming to ensure bets on his under-line won.
The NCAA did not reveal details of the 13 other players’ specific actions, but said they were similar to the charges brought against Robinson and his Fresno teammates Steven Vasquez and Jalen Weaver.
In total, the 13 players competed at six different schools, named as Eastern Michigan, Temple, Arizona State, New Orleans, North Carolina A&T, and Mississippi Valley. The agency confirmed that individual athletes, and not the schools or staff, are under investigation.
The infractions include betting on and against their own teams, sharing information with third parties for the purpose of sports betting, knowingly manipulating scoring or game outcomes, and refusing to participate in the enforcement staff’s investigation.
NCAA President Reiterates Calls for Prop Betting Ban
NCAA President Charlie Baker previously called for a ban on college prop betting, primarily to protect students from abuse online.
Last year, Baker said: “The horrific messages we are seeing across online platforms is absolutely unacceptable. Angry fans are sending numerous abusive messages and threats to student-athletes, publicly and privately, because of lost bets placed on the athlete’s performance in a game.”
In the wake of the latest betting scandals, Baker again called for a ban on prop bets to eliminate the problem.
In a statement on the NCAA’s website, Baker said: “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.”
Many states already restrict betting companies from offering prop betting on college sports. Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, and more than 10 other states have prohibited the markets.
Pro-Sports Prop Betting Also Faces Scrutiny
Ohio’s Governor Mike DeWine has gone a step further and called for a ban on prop betting across professional sports. This comes after two Cleveland Guardians players have been put on leave over suspicious betting activity on their pitches.
There have also been high-profile scandals in the NBA. Jontay Porter is awaiting sentencing after admitting to providing information for betting purposes about his injury status.
His brother, Michael Porter Jr., said he expects the problem to continue. In a recent podcast, he said: “Think about it, if you could get all your homies rich by telling them, ‘Yo, bet $10,000 on my under this one game. I’m going to act like I’ve got an injury, and I’m going sit out. I’m going to come out after three minutes’… And they all get a little bag because you did it one game.”
Terry Rozier is still under investigation for placing bets on his prop markets, while the NBA confirmed this week that it is conducting its own investigation into Malik Beasley.
The Beasley investigation is expected to conclude soon, and we will no doubt hear more on the 13 players subject to the NCAA’s probe.
