Measures Taken To Halt Gambling On College Sports
To hear organizations like the National Collegiate Athlete Association and various legislative bodies talk, the negative effects of gambling in college sports are a real concern to organizational bodies and the public at large. When it comes down to action, however, just what are the different bodies doing to help to stop the rise of gambling on college sports that has taken place over the last decade?
Surveys and studies. You would think that as the concern directly involves colleges and universities, there would be extensive research done on the problem, proposing solutions. However, there is a dearth of evidence and facts when it comes to gambling on campus. The National Collegiate Athlete Association itself did not bother to conduct any type of research until 2003. While there have been several studies conducted by university faculty, the results have largely been ignored. The research that has been conducted indicates that campus gambling is a major concern, especially among athletes. 80% Male athletes are likely to have gambled on sports in their times at colleges, and 75% of male and female athletes combined admit to gambling on sports. Statistics even indicate that athletes are prone to betting on games in which they are involved, and directly influencing the outcome.
Even in cases where research has been conducted, survey participation has been sparse. Less than 25% of surveys sent out in a study by the athletic department of the University of Michigan were replied to.
Punishment. Perhaps one of the most telling pieces of evidence against the will of organizational bodies to mitigate the damage caused by negative effects of gambling in college sports are the punishments handed out to guilty parties. In most cases, the athletes involved in schemes such as points shaving or throwing games were very light. Usually, these athletes are welcomed back onto the team after a short suspension, most of the time being less than a handful of games.
Seminars and sessions. Where the NCAA really focuses its efforts is on seminars and other coaching sessions designed to dissuade students, and especially student athletes, from participating in sports betting. The continued rise of the activity is further proof of the fact that seminar type discussions are the greatest joke of the new millennium; they make the people organizing them feel great, but have very little real effect.
The fact that so little real effort is being put into combating the incidents of gambling on college sports is evidence that the situation is not taken as seriously as organizational bodies would have the public believe. Governmental bodies are just as at fault as collegiate regulatory bodies, as Congress and the Senate continue to waffle when it comes to closing the loopholes that allow gambling on college sports. While they may talk a lot about halting the negative effects of gambling in college sports, these bodies do not translate the words into much action. The public in general should not be too surprised, as this is a reflection on the history of gambling in sports in general. You can find some notable legislation regarding sports gambling here.
