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Sports Wagering
NCAA Bylaw 10.3 Sports Wagering Activities
NCAA rules prohibit all student-athletes, coaches and staff (including those outside of the athletics departments who have oversight over athletics) from wagering on any practice or competition, at any level, involving a sport sponsored by the NCAA. This means that the prohibition covers not only, for example, wagering on the NCAA basketball tournament, but also, for example, wagering on professional football, since both football and basketball are sports sponsored by the NCAA.
What is considered wagering?
Any time you put something at risk -- an entry fee, an amount of money, dinner, even a t-shirt - with the opportunity to win something in return, it is considered a wager under NCAA rules. The NCAA definition of gambling includes any pools or bracket contests that involve an entry fee and have a prize for the winner OR any fantasy leagues that involve an entry fee and a prize for the winner. NCAA rules also prohibit student-athletes, coaches and staff from sharing information about injuries, disciplinary actions or similar issues involving athletics teams with anyone known to be involved in gambling.
UAB is committed to upholding NCAA regulations in the area of gambling. Sports wagering is an issue which affects not only the integrity of sports, but also the wellbeing of our student-athletes. Gambling is damaging to an individual's financial and emotional wellbeing, as well as being illegal in most states.
Given the seriousness of this issue, the NCAA's penalties for gambling are severe. For example, NCAA rules state that student-athletes who are found to have engaged in activities such as point shaving or having bet on contests at their own institutions can be ruled permanently ineligible to compete in collegiate athletics.
If you have questions about the NCAA's gambling rules, please contact the Compliance Office!
If you are concerned that you may have a gambling problem, please contact the 24 Hour Confidential National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
