By Ryan Ottiger, Newswire Intern

In the past few weeks, the gambling scene in sports heated up as much as ever. 

In the NBA, Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier were arrested on Oct. 23 for accusations of illegal betting. Less than two weeks later, the NCAA was set to have a rule change on Nov. 1, allowing NCAA athletes and staff members to bet on professional sports. 

This rule does not allow NCAA members to bet on NCAA athletics, but rather just professional sports. The rule has since been delayed to Nov. 22, as representatives from the Energy and Commerce Committee that oversee sports integrity issues, have published a letter to the NCAA that contains concerns in light of the Billups and Rozier scandals.

The NCAA has been met with criticism of the new rule. Just a few days before Nov. 1, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey published his own letter to NCAA president Charlie Baker, stating the new policy would be a “major step in the wrong direction.” Sankey acknowledges the heat of the sports gambling movement and argues that this implementation of the new rule would result in more vulnerability for student athletes.

Just last September, a Fresno State men’s basketball player was confirmed to have manipulated his performance as part of a sports betting conspiracy with two other players. Right now, the NCAA is investigating 13 players from six different schools about possible gambling violations. While there is growing concern for some, the NCAA is affirming that they are not endorsing. 

Much of the concern surrounding sports betting stems from the psychology that keeps people wanting to bet. Neuroscientists have found that one aspect that lures people into sports betting is the anticipation of potential wins, which will keep bettors in the loop for quick dopamine rushes. Even during losing streaks, these potential dopamine rushes often keep bettors chasing more wins for significant periods of time. 

Cognitive biases are also built into each individual bettor, with people often overvaluing their own knowledge, focusing on previous “trends,” having overconfidence and having confirmation bias. Another key facet of the psychology behind sports betting stems from people’s emotions, specifically impulsivity from the excitement of watching live sports. These neuroscientists see trends of an interlink between bettors’ emotions and cognitive biases that directly affect their decision making in betting.

With the heightening popularity of sports gambling across all ages, many Xavier students have their own experiences with those around them betting.

“NCAA players should have the autonomy to bet on professional sports as long as it doesn’t directly affect their performance in college,” first-year finance major Luke Schanz said.

Ultimately, this rule has been met with major controversy. Slippery Rock Director of Athletics Roberta Page argues that it “recognizes the realities of today’s sports environment without compromising our commitment to protecting the integrity of college competition or the well-being of student-athletes.” 

Those who are against it, like Sankey, argue that the new rule would result in questionable threatened integrity from players and staff and the vulnerability that can come with the growing popularity of the movement.