NCAA Allows Athletes to Bet on Pro Sports Starting Nov. 1

The NCAA approved a rule change on Wednesday that will allow active collegiate athletes and athletic department staff members to bet on professional sports.

NCAA Athletes Still Banned From Betting On College Sports

Two weeks after the Division I cabinet approved the change, Division II and III management councils signed off on it, allowing the new rule to go into effect Nov. 1.

However, this doesn’t change the NCAA rule prohibiting athletes from betting on college sports. The NCAA also forbids sharing information about college competitions with bettors.

Per the NCAA’s initial news release, the change “would not impact rules prohibiting advertising and sponsorships associated with sports betting for NCAA Championships.”

A notable change:

The NCAA DI Administrative Committee has approved a change that will allow college players and staff members to bet on professional sports pic.twitter.com/KPOsyZbQ4Q

— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) October 8, 2025

“The Administrative Committee was clear in its discussion today that it remains concerned about the risks associated with all forms of sports gambling but ultimately voted to reduce restrictions on student-athletes in this area to better align with their campus peers,” Illinois athletic director and chair of the Division I Administrative Committee Josh Whitman said in a statement.

“This change allows the NCAA, the conferences, and the member schools to focus on protecting the integrity of college games while, at the same time, encouraging healthy habits for student-athletes who choose to engage in betting activities on professional sports.”

NCAA Doesn’t Endorse Sports Betting

Although college athletes can now bet on pro sports, the NCAA emphasized that it doesn’t endorse sports betting, particularly for student-athletes.

“This change recognizes the realities of today’s sports environment without compromising our commitment to protecting the integrity of college competition or the well-being of student-athletes,” said Roberta Page, director of athletics at Slippery Rock and chair of the Division II Management Council.

Last month, the NCAA banned three men’s college basketball players for sports betting, stating they had bet on their own games at Fresno State and San Jose State.

The NCAA ruled that Fresno State forward Mykell Robinson, San Jose State guard Steven Vasquez, and Fresno State guard Jalen Weaver are permanently ineligible due to gambling violations and are no longer enrolled at their schools.

Per ESPN’s David Purdum, Robinson and Vasquez conspired to wager on Robinson to underperform during a Jan. 7, 2025, game between Fresno State and Colorado State.

Three prop bets totaling $2,200 were placed on the under on Robinson’s statistics.

The bets, which were flagged by a Nevada sportsbook operator, won a net $15,950. One of the bets was placed by Vasquez and a “sportsbook trader,” per the NCAA.

Commercial sports betting revenue in 2025 through August has reached an estimated total of $10 billion, according to the American Gaming Association. The total is 18.9% higher than the same period last year.