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The age of legalized, normalized, and heavily monetized is not going well. Sure, those who are profiting from it will claim that all is well. They’ll say that, by making it legal, safeguards can be implemented. But making it legal also makes it widely and easily available to millions who otherwise wouldn’t go looking for a bookie. The stigma of sports gambling has been stripped away. It’s as normal and acceptable as buying a pack of cigarettes or a bottle of booze. And kids who have fake IDs that allow them to drink and smoke before turning 21 are now counting the days until they are old enough to start gambling via their phones. Legalized sports betting also introduces unprecedented temptations and justifications for those who may be inclined to try to make a little easy money. More and more are learning that easy money comes with a steep price. Via David Purdum of ESPN.com, the NCAA has banned six men’s college basketball players at three schools (New Orleans, Mississippi Valley State and Arizona State) for gambling violations. None of the players are attending the schools at which the violations occurred. The NCAA found that former New Orleans players Dae Dae Hunter, Dyquavian Short, and Jamond Vincent manipulated their performances for betting purposes in seven games. They allegedly lost or attempted to lose by more points than the spread for the games, as part of a conspiracy with gamblers. Separately, the NCAA found that Donovan Sanders and Alvin Stredic were offered money to throw a January 2025 Mississippi Valley State game against Alabama A&M. The NCAA found that Sanders likewise was overheard discussing a plan to throw a game against Tulsa in December 2024. Also, the NCAA found that former Arizona State forward B.J. Freeman shared information with a former teammate, who was using the information to bet on Freeman’s performance at a daily fantasy site. ESPN previously reported that an NBA gambling ring had placed “suspicious bets” on men’s college basketball games, including Mississippi Valley State contests. Some of the same accounts reportedly placed large wagers on prop bets involving former NBA player Jontay Porter (who was eventually banned for life) and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier (who currently is under indictment in a prop-bet scheme). The NCAA deserves credit for investigating the situation and disclosing the findings. Sports leagues will generally be inclined to brush scandals under the rug, given the basic reality that declaring the existence of internal corruption can bring external heat on the entire operation.
