"The passage of legislation to prohibit Internet gambling is another positive step in combating the negative effects of sports wagering. We commend federal lawmakers for their leadership on this important issue and providing law enforcement with the tools needed to eliminate illegal Internet gambling.

"The NCAA has long been opposed to legal and illegal wagering on college sports. Sports wagering undermines the integrity of our games and threatens the well-being of our student-athletes and college sports in general.

"The NCAA is keenly aware that sports wagering is a problem for student-athletes. Our groundbreaking national study of sports wagering in 2003 revealed the disturbing trend that 35 percent of male student-athletes and 10 percent of female student-athletes have engaged in some form of sports wagering. We’ve undertaken a number of new initiatives to address the issue, and we’ve even renewed dialogue with Las Vegas to better understand the industry.

"While we are particularly concerned with how sports wagering affects our student-athletes, we recognize it can adversely impact people from all walks of life. Internet gambling can destroy lives, and we want better for our student-athletes, coaches and administrators, and our fans.”

NOTE: Information on the NCAA policy for sports wagering can be found in the Tools & Resources box above.