Colleges are at odds with the NCAA over a proposal to allow student-athletes, coaches and athletics staff to gamble on professional sports.
The NCAA introduced a proposal on Oct. 8, that would have allowed student-athletes to bet on professional sports. The rule, later approved by all three divisions, was paused following the discovery of a betting scandal within men’s college basketball. Following that investigation, the new deadline for implementation was meant to be November 21; however, 188 Division I schools have so far submitted a request for rescission on this rule.
According to CNN Sports, at least 241 schools must request the rescission in order for the rule to be rescinded. The schools have until 5 p.m. tonight to encourage roughly 60 additional institutions to join the fight against professional sports betting; otherwise, student-athletes, coaches and athletics staff will be allowed to gamble as of tomorrow morning.
Related: NCAA One Step Closer to Allowing Student-Athletes to Bet on Professional Sports
The rescission period began because 75% of the cabinet members voted in favor of changes to the initial legislation. It was poor timing with the NBA betting scandal and NCAA investigation, but apparently unrelated.
Related: NCAA Revokes Eligibility of Six More Basketball Players as Gambling Probe Rolls On
The assumption that professional sports betting will continue to be banned from many in college athletics was summed up by one coach, who anonymously spoke to CNN Sports, “There’s no way that happens, right?”
NCAA member institutions have until 5 p.m. on November 21 — seven hours — to rescind the rule.
