NCAA Seeks Pause on College Sports Prediction Markets

Crypto News Regulation

NCAA Demands Halt to College Sports Betting Markets Over Athlete Safety

Written by Aaron S.,

Editor-In-Chief

Last Updated: February 05, 2026

Key Takeaways

NCAA urges regulators to pause college sports prediction markets until safeguards are in place to protect student-athletes;
Baker links the rise of prediction markets to more online harassment and mental health risks for college players;
The NCAA calls for stricter age limits, tighter ads, and anti-harassment tools to prevent gambling-related harm among students.

Stop overpaying - start transferring money with Ogvio. Sign up, invite friends & grab Rewards now! 🎁

NCAA Demands Halt to College Sports Betting Markets Over Athlete Safety

BITDEGREE IN YOUR SOCIAL FEED

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has asked US regulators to temporarily stop prediction markets tied to college sports until stronger safeguards are established to protect student-athletes.

In a letter to Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) chair Michael Selig, NCAA president Charlie Baker urged the agency to “suspend collegiate sport prediction markets until a more robust system with appropriate safeguards is in place".

Baker said the current growth of such markets has brought new problems for athletes, especially increased harassment from bettors frustrated by outcomes.

What Are Flash Loans? TOP Ways to Make Passive Income Explained

Did you know?

Want to get smarter & wealthier with crypto?

Subscribe - We publish new crypto explainer videos every week!

He explained that athletes are facing more direct abuse online by linking this rise to the expanding and loosely regulated betting environment. According to Baker, these behaviors threaten players’ mental health and sense of safety.

Another concern raised by the NCAA is the difference in age restrictions. Traditional sports betting in most states is limited to people 21 or older, while some prediction markets allow users to start at age 18.

Baker warned that this could “heavily entice college students, and even high school students, into engaging in these markets in a harmful way".

To prevent further issues, Baker asked the CFTC to implement clearer age limits, stricter advertising rules, stronger integrity monitoring, anti-harassment tools, and resources to reduce gambling-related harm.

Recently, the CFTC ended the Biden-era plan that would have stopped trading on sports and political prediction markets. What did Selig say? Read the full story.