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Gambling has been a major headline in sports across all leagues this year as we’ve seen suspensions throughout a variety of leagues. At the professional level, there have been major scandals in the NFL and MLS.
Things have started to pick up on the college side of things since the turn of the calendar. A number of notable programs have been under scrutiny for potential connections to sports betting.
While legal in many states, gambling on athletics still goes against NCAA rule. Investigations into football teams at both major Iowa schools made waves over the offseason, and firings at a pair of notable baseball programs showed that the NCAA meant business.
But just how far does the issue stretch?
According to a story from ESPN’s David Purdham, there a quite a few cases currently open at the college level. Seventeen, in fact. Purdham writes that there has been a total of 175 violations discovered by the NCAA since 2018.
Those infractions range in severity from “$5 wagers to providing inside information.”
Unfortunately, that’s as detailed as the report gets as the NCAA opts not to release specific schools, coaches, or players potentially involved. Still, the update had many fans talking online.
“That actually seems low,” one Twitter follower wrote after seeing the story.
“This number will only continue to grow,” said another.
It’s difficult to prevent sports gambling completely given its widespread popularity, and it now seems the NCAA is taking steps to adapt. This comes mostly in the form of punishment for offenders.
New betting guidelines provide clarity on potential penalty while also giving leniency now that the activity is legal in 38 states. It will be interesting to see how these ongoing investigations play out over the coming months, and what effects they might have on future seasons.
The times, they are a changin’ in the world of college sports.