The NCAA is urging state gambling regulators to amend laws to prohibit prop bets and other high-risk wagers following a shocking federal indictment involving college basketball. The indictment, unsealed this week, alleges a three-year scheme to fix games for millions of dollars, implicating 39 college players and 20 individuals connected to the plot.
This comes after an earlier October case that shared some of the same perpetrators and involved rigged NBA prop bets and poker games. With sports betting and prediction markets growing rapidly in the U.S., college sports are increasingly vulnerable, as student-athletes earn far less than professionals.
NCAA Steps Up Integrity Efforts
NCAA President Charlie Baker emphasized the need for stronger protections:
“The Association has and will continue to aggressively pursue sports betting violations in college athletics using a layered integrity monitoring program covering over 22,000 contests. But we still need states and regulators to eliminate threats to protect athletes and leagues from predatory betting and integrity risks.”
This is not the NCAA’s first call for regulatory support. In 2023, the association requested amendments to state laws to strengthen safeguards for student-athletes and preserve the integrity of collegiate sports.
Federal Indictment Highlights Widespread Fixing
The recent indictment outlines a sprawling scheme that began in China and involved former Chicago Bulls guard Antonio Blakeney, ultimately affecting 17 colleges. Alleged fixers reportedly bribed players at smaller basketball programs to underperform in specific games.
The pace of federal gambling indictments is accelerating. In 2025 alone, four major cases were filed, including NBA and MLB betting rings, with charges ranging from wire fraud to money laundering and illegal gambling. Some notable cases over the past decade include:
- Jan 2026: NCAA/CBA Point-Shaving Plot – Bribery, wire fraud, money laundering; 26 people, 39 athletes involved
- Oct 2025: Operation Royal Flush – Wire fraud, money laundering, extortion; Chauncey Billups, Terry Rozier, Damon Jones, and organized crime families
- Oct 2025: NBA Insider Betting Scheme – Wire fraud; Terry Rozier, Damon Jones
- Nov 2025: MLB Betting Investigation – Sports betting, money laundering conspiracy; two current MLB players
- July 2024: Jontay Porter NBA Scandal – Wire fraud related to prop betting
Prediction Markets Target College Students
Legal prediction markets, such as Kalshi, are also drawing NCAA scrutiny. While not classified as gambling, these platforms allow 18-20 year-olds to trade contracts on college football and other sports, often more actively than professional leagues.
Baker recently called on the CFTC to halt all sports-related contracts from such services until appropriate regulations are established. He highlighted the need for:
- Age restrictions
- Advertising limitations
- Elimination of prop bets
“Just as we need Congress to stabilize eligibility, we need federal regulators to stabilize these markets. The answer cannot be the status quo. We need one set of fair, transparent standards,” Baker said.
