NCAA opens probe into 13 college basketball players at six schools over sports-betting violations
Investigation involves Arizona State, Eastern Michigan, Mississippi Valley, New Orleans, North Carolina A&T and Temple; NCAA says all players are no longer enrolled
The NCAA announced Thursday it is investigating alleged sports-betting violations involving 13 college basketball players at six schools, saying the players are accused of betting on or against their own teams, sharing information for betting purposes, manipulating scores or game outcomes and refusing to participate in the inquiry.
The probe involves student-athletes from Arizona State, Eastern Michigan, Mississippi Valley, New Orleans, North Carolina A&T and Temple, though the NCAA did not release names. The association said all 13 players are no longer enrolled at their respective institutions and that neither the schools nor their staffs are expected to be implicated in the violations.
NCAA President Charlie Baker said the association "monitors over 22,000 contests every year and will continue to aggressively pursue competition integrity risks such as these." In a prepared statement, Baker praised the enforcement staff and cooperating schools and called on regulators and gaming companies to reduce integrity risks by eliminating proposition bets and including sports leagues in policy discussions.
The NCAA said it was alerted to unusual betting activity through its integrity-monitoring program and a network of sources. Enforcement staff cited text messages, direct messages on social media platforms and other material evidence as part of the substantiation of alleged violations.
The development was disclosed one day after the NCAA announced lifetime bans for three former college players — Mykell Robinson and Steven Vasquez, both formerly of San Jose State, and Jalen Weaver, formerly of Fresno State — in connection with a sports-betting-related game-manipulation scheme. The association said those bans stemmed from separate investigations tied to game manipulation and sports wagering.
In its release, the NCAA emphasized that the rise of legalized sports betting has increased opportunities for improper activity across college sports and reiterated its intent to pursue enforcement where integrity risks arise. The association did not provide a timeline for the current probe or disclose whether any games are under specific review.
Universities named in the NCAA statement confirmed cooperation with the investigation but issued no further comment about individual students. The NCAA's enforcement staff said the inquiry remains active; it did not provide a schedule for future announcements.
The NCAA has increasingly monitored wagering patterns and communications as legalized sports betting has expanded across the United States. Officials said automated monitoring, tips from partners and communication reviews are among the tools used to detect irregularities. The association reiterated its stance that preserving competition integrity is a priority as it continues enforcement activities and coordinates with member institutions.
The investigation adds to a series of recent probes into collegiate sports wagering and arrives amid ongoing debates over how to balance legalized betting markets with safeguards for amateur athletics. The NCAA did not indicate whether criminal authorities or gaming regulators are involved in the current matter.