The NCAA is bolstering its sports integrity protections with the use of IC360‘s ProhiBet extending to officials during Division I tournaments this spring.
ProhiBet keeps an encrypted list of athletes, coaches and other team personnel that should prevent them from taking part in U.S. sports betting. Officials that will be involved in the baseball, softball, and men’s and women’s March Madness basketball tournaments will be monitored through the program, according to Tuesday‘s release.
“Implementing ProhiBet is a major step in increasing integrity protections for college sports,” said Mark Hicks, NCAA managing director of enforcement. “This platform adds another layer to the NCAA’s robust integrity monitoring program as we work to keep competition integrity and student-athlete well-being paramount in a rapidly evolving sports betting environment.”
IC360 Co-CEO Scott Sadin added the collaboration sets a “new industry benchmark” with the additional steps taken to protect the DI tournaments.
NCAA has strained relationship with betting
The NCAA has had multiple issues with sports betting that has left President Charlie Baker looking for solutions.
Baker wants gambling commissions to either eliminate or cut down on prop bets offered on college competitions. That could help with the two of the biggest betting problems for the NCAA so far.
There have been multiple betting scandals at the collegiate level with the latest basketball scandal involving players from at least 17 DI schools. Player props are typically easier to manipulate for betting purposes than a point spread. Michael Porter Jr., brother of banned NBA player Jontay Porter manipulating his performance to help others win bets, said it is too easy to rig those bets at the professional level.
Banning college player props should also cut down on player harassment. Last month, the Big Ten Conference Student-Athlete Issues Commission asked the NCAA to get the bets restricted or banned, citing harassment including angry messages and threats.
