NCAA Crackdown: Former Players Face Sports Betting Violations Across Six Institutions
In a significant move amid a broader effort to regulate gambling activities among college athletes, the NCAA has disclosed that it is examining potential betting rule violations involving over a dozen former basketball players from six universities.
On Thursday, the NCAA revealed that its enforcement team is investigating alleged breaches of sports betting regulations and associated non-compliance violations involving 13 ex-men’s basketball athletes. While the names of the individuals remain undisclosed, they represent a range of schools, including Eastern Michigan, Temple, Arizona State, New Orleans, North Carolina A&T, and Mississippi Valley State. It should be noted that none of these players are currently enrolled at their respective institutions.
This announcement follows the NCAA’s decisive action just a day earlier, where it permanently prohibited three former players from Fresno State and San Jose State due to various betting infractions. The NCAA’s investigation coincides with a tumultuous summer for professional sports leagues, many of which have grappled with gambling-related scandals.
In a related matter, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver recently announced that the league is investigating former Pistons player Malik Beasley in connection with a gambling probe. Reports suggest that federal prosecutors in New York have been looking into Beasley’s activities, though he has not been charged.
A Troubling Past at Arizona State
Among the schools identified in this latest announcement, Arizona State’s inclusion comes as somewhat of a surprise to insiders familiar with the ongoing investigations. Earlier this year, the University of New Orleans took proactive measures by suspending four players amid concerns related to NCAA regulations on sports betting. Additionally, reports hint at a sports betting operation under investigation that is tied to wagers made against teams such as North Carolina A&T and Eastern Michigan.
Arizona State has previously faced scrutiny for gambling-related issues, notably in 1997 when guard Stevin "Hedake" Smith was implicated in a point-shaving scandal. Smith later pleaded guilty to accepting bribes meant to manipulate the outcomes of several games during the 1993-94 season. His experience has driven him to work with EPIC Global Solutions, an organization focused on gambling harm reduction. Recently, he expressed his commitment to sharing his story to prevent similar situations from unfolding in the future.
Addressing the latest NCAA investigation, Arizona State University commented, “We acknowledge the ongoing inquiry and the outcomes concerning a former student-athlete who is no longer part of our institution. We have fully cooperated with all requests for information and have not been implicated in any wrongdoing."
Moving Forward
In March, the NCAA extended its collaboration with EPIC Global Solutions. This partnership has reached over 100,000 student-athletes, coaches, and administrative personnel under its initiative, making it the largest of its kind worldwide.
Last December, NCAA President Charlie Baker spoke before the Senate Judiciary Committee concerning sports betting. Aiming to limit the influence of college athletes in prop bets, Baker reaffirmed his call for prohibitions earlier this week, stating, “The NCAA tracks over 22,000 events each year and remains committed to addressing integrity challenges in competition.”
The NCAA has clarified that the institutions involved in the current investigation are not accused of participation in the athletes’ alleged violations, nor are they facing consequences for the actions of the student-athletes under scrutiny.