Results show a decrease in more frequent sports wagering, while social use has risen.
Core News Facts
- The NCAA has released its second national study on sports wagering behaviors of U.S. college student-athletes, which gauges the change and prevalence of these activities since the 2004 study.
- The results from this latest study indicate that the NCAA and its members have made progress in educating student-athletes on the dangers of sports wagering, but there are still areas where additional efforts are needed.
- The Association will continue to take a national leadership role in educating student-athletes, while increasing efforts in select areas, such as the sport of golf.
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“The research is another indicator that no campus is immune to sports wagering issues and every school needs to be diligent in its efforts to educate its student-athletes and the entire campus to the dangers of sports wagering. We are encouraged the research provides a positive indicator that our efforts to date have been impactful and we will also use the findings as guidance for additional educational endeavors.” – Rachel Newman Baker, director of agent, gambling and amateurism activities
“We take this issue very seriously. We look forward to working with the NCAA, our membership and our student-athletes to educate them on all forms of gambling. This is an issue we will address – with the assistance of the NCAA – at our national convention in early December and work with the entire golfing community throughout the year in an effort to improve the situation.” – Mark Crabtree, president of Golf Coaches Association of America
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Additional Information
In conjunction with the FARA Annual Meeting and Symposium in St. Louis, the NCAA has released the 2008 Study on Collegiate Wagering. This research is the most comprehensive of its kind and includes anonymous data from approximately 20,000 student-athletes.
As a measure of gambling activity, the research gauges the level of sports wagering in three categories: social, frequent and heavy. Social is characterized as wagering once per year or more. Frequent is defined as once per month or more and heavy use is defined as once per week or more.
The 2008 survey results indicate that the educational efforts of the NCAA and its members have been impactful for student-athletes. Division I men’s basketball student-athletes demonstrated a decrease in frequent sports wagering from 6.1 percent in 2004 to 4.5 percent. In addition, approximately 90 percent of males and 95 percent of females across all three divisions who have received NCAA education about the dangers of sports wagering believe that the information provided is effective in discouraging student-athletes.
However, the study also indicates areas where continued efforts are needed. While there is some indication fewer student-athletes are engaging in heavy levels of sports wagering, social levels of the activity have increased among males. Approximately 30 percent of male student-athletes reported wagering on sports in the past year, which is in violation of NCAA rules.
Male student-athletes still greatly outnumber females as social, frequent and heavy gamblers in all three divisions. Frequent sports wagering in baseball, men’s basketball and football is similar in 2008 to what it was in 2004. For baseball, 12.7 percent of student-athletes reported wagering on sports once per month or more. This is compared to 10 percent in men’s basketball and 9 percent in football. At 4.3 percent, swimming reported the lowest number of frequent sports wagering in men’s sports. In contrast, women’s golf student-athletes presented the highest numbers of frequent sports wagering, but this number was still considerably less than males at 1.3 percent.
Across the board, sports wagering numbers within the sport of men’s golf have increased and are currently at levels much higher than those seen among any other student-athlete group. While 12 percent of Division I men’s basketball student-athletes bet on sports socially during the past year, 40 percent of Division I men’s golfers have done the same and eight percent reported wagering on sports weekly.
As was found in the 2004 study, Division I student-athletes are generally showing lower amounts of sports wagering behaviors than the other divisions. Although comparisons against the general student body weren’t available, 37 percent of Division III male student-athletes reported social sports wagering activities compared to 22 percent in Division I. During this same period, 9 percent of Division III female student-athletes reported social sports wagering activities compared to 4 percent in Division I. Twenty-eight percent of Division II male student-athletes report social sports wagering levels, compared to 6 percent of Division II females.
A number of sports wagering trends were also identified through the research results. For example, there is some indication that changes in technology may be presenting challenges for student-athletes, coaches and administrators in preventing individuals involved in gambling within college athletics. It appears that traditional on-campus bookies and runners are being replaced by their electronic versions. Among those male student-athletes who wagered on sports at least once in the prior 12 months, 19 percent reported placing a bet over the Internet. This is an 8 percent increase from the 2004 study.
These research findings continue to confirm that student-athletes can be viewed as easy marks for gambling-related information. While the actual numbers reporting this type of activity are very low, the number of student-athletes being contacted by outside sources for information has increased. It is believed this trend is related to the enhanced connectivity through Internet and mobile networks. However, the research also indicates a decrease in the number of student-athletes in Division I men’s basketball and football who are intentionally sharing information with outside sources.
Using the resource of these research findings, the NCAA will continue to take a national leadership role to address these issues in sports wagering. The Association’s agent, gambling and amateurism staff will continue to partner with campuses across the country to discuss how sports wagering issues affect the various sports. The NCAA is expected to increase its outreach in the sport of golf, by increasing sports wagering education at various golf-related events, including targeted presentations to student-athletes and engaging the golf community regarding making an impact within this sport. This approach will mimic the well-received efforts with Division I men’s and women’s basketball student-athletes.
