Seeking to maintain the integrity of its amateur competitions and further protect its competing athletes, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) will launch a study into US sports betting post-PASPA.
The governing body of US college sports will develop an advisory panel of experts examining the effects of betting throughout US sports value chain, focusing on ‘how best to protect game integrity, monitor betting activity, manage sports data and expand educational efforts’.
In the decade-long battle to suspend PASPA’s federal mandate, the NCAA had been the staunchest supporter of the US previous anti-betting stance.
As a governing body, the NCAA maintains that its syndicated sports competitions may be more susceptible to match-fixing and corruption than its professional counterparts, as college athletes are not paid.
Therefore, the unnamed panel will review all sporting dynamics including; referee officiating, match rules, and federal/state legislation with regards to the use of integrity services.
Donald Remy, NCAA chief legal officer, commented: “While we certainly respect the Supreme Court’s decision, our position on sports wagering remains.
“With this new landscape, we must evolve and expand our long-standing efforts to protect both the integrity of competitions and the well-being of student-athletes.”
The NCAA details that whilst some quarters have been positive about schools and/or leagues benefiting financial, including integrity fees levied on sports wagering revenues, it is firmly proceeding down the route of education.
Focusing on the “substance of education” and the protection of student-athletes, the NCAA is to take “a standard approach to game integrity through consistent national guidelines”.