March Madness wagering warning from NCAA

It’s March Madness betting time again, and the National Collegiate Athletic Association, which regulates athletes of 1,281 US institutions, conferences, and individuals, has issued its members with a warning that bettng for money is a definite no-go area with the potential to damage the future sports careers of those who do so.

Millions of Americans fill out NCAA tournament brackets and pitch $10 or $20 into office pools, but the NCAA schools have been reminded that NCAA members are specifically excluded from gambling on sports to maintain the integrity of competitions.

The American Gaming Association estimates that about $10 billion will be wagered on the NCAA tournament this spring, mostly through casual bracket pools among friends and co-workers. But while the legal system tends to turn a blind eye to these technically illegal transactions, the NCAA describes it — like any form of sports gambling — as activity that “threatens both the integrity of the game and the well-being of student-athletes.”

“We have learned that these types of pools are often the entry for youth to begin betting,” the NCAA wrote in an online statement for its “Don’t Bet On It” campaign. “The NCAA wants to send a clear message that money does not have to be involved in order for the NCAA basketball tournament or other sporting contests to be fun.”

Related and similar