The SEC‘s reported move to standardize injury reports for the upcoming season could pave the way for the transparency in college football betting that many have clamored to see.
According to CBS Sports, the SEC plans to introduce a mandatory injury report for the 2024 season, which would mark the second Power Four conference to do so after the Big Ten implemented “game day availability” reports last year. The move reportedly aims to address the lack of transparency in college football betting, where millions of dollars are at stake and student-athletes are exposed to bettors seeking sensitive information on player health.
With the NCAA’s two richest conferences mandating injury reports, the rest of the Power Four could follow suit, creating more uniform protections for college football.
College football betting prone to abuse
One in three high-profile athletes receive abusive messages from someone with a betting interest, and 15% to 25% of abusive messages directed to football players are betting-related, according to the NCAA.
It has continually updated penalties for those found to be in violation of its sports betting policies as scandals pile up in the legal sports betting era.
But the NCAA’s reluctance to implement a standardized reporting system like the NFL‘s has put student-athletes at risk of exploitation by gamblers seeking confidential information.
NCAA puts responsibility on states
NCAA President Charlie Baker has urged states to ban prop betting on individual players to reduce harassment and the potential for student-athletes to become involved in nefarious activity. Baker, who signed off on a sports betting bill as Massachusetts governor, expressed his regret over the expansion of sports betting in a recent interview with Fox Sports.
The NFL introduced its first injury report in the 1940s in response to a major betting scandal. By standardizing the disclosure of player information, the league aimed to regulate what is a sensitive asset in college sports betting.
Why college football betting has no injury reports
In 2018, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to allow states to legalize sports betting, the NCAA considered implementing a national injury reporting system.
But they ultimately decided against it, citing concerns over enforcement, effectiveness and federal laws that safeguard student and patient privacy. A few years later, the NCAA signed a 10-year deal with Genius Sports, which collects and distributes player data to various sportsbooks.
SEC may bolster betting education
The SEC’s proposed injury reporting system may also incorporate educational components for athletes and staff regarding the implications of sports betting, according to CBS Sports. Student-athletes across the country already receive gambling education and awareness training from EPIC Risk Management.
The final details are anticipated to be finalized within the next two weeks during a meeting of the league’s athletic directors, according to CBS Sports.
