MU among more than 240 schools that helped rescind student-athlete sports betting rule
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The University of Missouri was among more than 200 schools to submit a request to rescind an NCAA rule that would have allowed student athletes to bet on professional sports.
In October, the NCAA Division I Administrative Committee approved a proposal that would allow student-athletes and athletic department staff to place bets on professional sports. On Friday, the NCAA announced that the rule had been overturned after it received a two-thirds majority.
Facing a deadline of 4 p.m. Friday, the NCAA needed 241 schools to submit paperwork preventing college athletes from wagering on professional sports. According to CNN, the NCAA hit 241 teams voting to rescind the rule just 30 minutes before the deadline.
Southeastern Conference Associate Commissioner Herb Vincent told ABC 17 News in a statement that all 16 SEC schools submitted a request to rescind the rule.
"Mizzou Athletics is aligned with the SEC, whose 16-member institutions voted to rescind the NCAA’s proposed pro sports gambling rule,” University of Missouri Associate Athletic Director Dave Matter said in a statement.
The SEC was among the most-outspoken critics of the rule change, with SEC Commissioner Greg Stankey calling the rule change “a major step in the wrong direction” in a letter he sent to the NCAA in mid-November.
"On behalf of our universities, I write to urge action by the NCAA Division I Board of Directors to rescind this change and reaffirm the Association's commitment to maintaining strong national standards that keep collegiate participants separated from sports wagering activity at every level," Sankey wrote. "If there are legal or practical concerns about the prior policy, those should be addressed through careful refinement — not through wholesale removal of the guardrails that have long supported the integrity of games and the well-being of those who participate."
As sports betting continues to grow nationwide, the NCAA says its national office is prepared to assist schools with educating student-athletes about the harms associated with gambling behaviors.
“Today, Division I’s procedural 30-day rescission period closed on the pending rule change for sports betting rules, and the necessary two-thirds of DI schools have voted to rescind the rule change,” Jenn Fraser, NCAA Senior Vice President of Governance and Member Services, said in a press release. “Because sports betting rules are common legislation, the rule change will not move forward for any NCAA division.”
In its release, the NCAA outlined several resources designed to educate and protect student-athletes amid the rise of sports betting.
Earlier this year, the NCAA Sport Science Institute published new harm-reduction guidance related to gambling and sports wagering, and the NCAA expanded its partnership with EPIC Global Solutions to offer comprehensive educational programming through in-person workshops, prerecorded sessions and on-demand materials.
The NCAA has also updated its e-learning modules to cover problem gambling behaviors, sports betting rules and integrity risks.
In March 2024, the NCAA launched its “Draw the Line” campaign to increase awareness of the complexities and dangers of sports betting, supported by a toolkit that schools can use for on-campus education. The NCAA is also working to protect student-athletes from betting-related harassment, partnering with Signify Group to monitor online abuse using AI tools and teaming up with Venmo to enhance reporting options, account protections and user education.
As part of its broader awareness push, the NCAA released a new campaign video in March 2025 titled “Don’t Be a Loser,” highlighting the growing problem of fans directing harassment at athletes when gambling outcomes don’t go their way.
The NCAA has also successfully petitioned four states to eliminate prop bets involving college athletes and continues to push for nationwide restrictions. Looking ahead, player availability reports will be implemented for the 2026 Division I Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships to reduce betting-related pressure and solicitation.
