Charlie Baker Highlights Sports Betting

Charlie Baker Highlights Importance of Protecting Student Athletes

By Blake Roberts Founder & Editor in Chief Updated: 22 January 2024

Blake Roberts Founder & Editor in Chief

Blake Roberts is the founder of Betting.US and is currently heading the creative team as Editor in Chief. Born and raised in Morgantown, West Virginia, Blake is a great sports fan, with football and basketball being his favorite. He’s our trusted voice for all betting-related matters.

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In a recent ‘State of College Sports’ address at the NCAA Convention in Phoenix, NCAA President Charlie Baker emphasized the rising need to safeguard student athletes from rogue sports bettors. With sports betting now legalized in many states across the country, this has become a growing problem that officials are keen to tackle.

During the speech, Baker acknowledged the beneficial aspects of regulated sportsbooks in the USA. Baker, who is the former governor of Massachusetts and the signatory of the state’s sports betting bill, spoke about the NCAA’s commitment to improving player protection.

He revealed an ongoing collaboration between the NCAA and the NFL to develop educational programs for coaches and student athletes, aimed at addressing the challenges posed by sports betting.

In a bid to boost protection for college athletes, Baker announced that he is in talks with his former colleagues to ensure states impose solid laws to shield student athletes from potential harassment.

Addressing Online Abuse as Priority for NCAA

The NCAA’s proactive approach against online abuse was highlighted with its recent partnership with the Signify Group. Using the Threat Matrix tool, the NCAA intends to study, detect, and respond to online abuse and threats directed at players, coaches, and officials.

The AI tool monitors social media platforms like X, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok in over 35 languages for potential abuse and threats. Baker said:

Sports betting is basically everywhere, especially on campuses. And the harm it can cause is real. Every conversation about the team, the competition, and the health and well-being of their teammates is not just chatter anymore, but currency for some and inside information for others.

Concerning data from a recent NCAA poll indicated that about 10 percent of Division I campus administrators were aware of student athletes facing harassment, either online or in person, by individuals with sports betting interests.

The Positive Impact of Sports Betting on Collegiate Sports

Despite the challenges, Baker highlighted the positive influence of sports betting on the NCAA and the collegiate sports it oversees. He presented data that showed a significant increase in fan engagement, which was partly down to legal sports betting.

In 2023, the NCAA saw an impressive surge in its social media following, resulting in over four billion impressions and 263 million engagements. This reflected a significant increase from the previous year’s figures.

Baker also pointed out the remarkable growth in women’s sports, especially basketball and volleyball. He also spoke about the NCAA’s recent lucrative media deal with ESPN, which surpassed the previous agreement.

According to Baker, the deal could pave the way for considering revenue distribution units for women’s basketball teams participating in March Madness, which is seen as a significant move toward greater equity in collegiate sports.

While the expansion of sports betting has brought about new opportunities for collegiate sports, Baker’s address at the NCAA Convention was a vital reminder of the need for continued monitoring and proactive measures to protect the integrity of college sports and the well-being of student athletes.