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A growing federal investigation into illegal sports betting has shaken college basketball, with multiple programs now under scrutiny for potential game manipulation. The scandal, initially linked to NBA betting activities, has now expanded into the collegiate level, raising concerns about the integrity of college sports.
At least three National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) men’s basketball programmes—Eastern Michigan, Mississippi Valley State, and North Carolina A&T—are involved in the probe, according to an ESPN report quoting unnamed sources. Authorities are examining suspicious betting patterns on games involving these teams, suggesting that players or individuals connected to these programmes may have engaged in point-shaving or game-fixing.
While no formal charges have been announced against players or coaches, the NCAA and federal agencies are closely monitoring betting data to uncover potential wrongdoing. The rise of legal sports betting has made it easier for investigators to detect irregular betting trends, leading to increased scrutiny of smaller collegiate programmes that may be more vulnerable to gambling-related manipulation.
The non-profit body that regulates student athletics in over 1000 U.S. schools has expressed concern over the potential risks posed by sports betting on student-athletes. College athletes, who often lack the financial security of professional players, may be more susceptible to external pressures from gambling syndicates.
In recent years, the organisation has tightened its policies regarding sports betting, but enforcement remains a challenge. The rapid expansion of legalised sports wagering across the U.S. has made it harder to prevent illicit activities, particularly at mid-major and lower-division programs where oversight may be less stringent.
“The NCAA takes sports betting very seriously and is committed to the protection of student-athlete well-being and the integrity of competition,” the NCAA said in a statement to media outlets. “The Association works with integrity monitoring services, state regulators and other stakeholders to conduct appropriate due diligence whenever suspicious reports are received. Due to confidentiality rules put in place by NCAA member schools, the NCAA will not comment on current or potential investigations,” the statement added.
The college basketball investigation is an offshoot of a larger probe into NBA gambling violations. The case gained national attention after Jontay Porter, a former Toronto Raptors player, was permanently banned from the NBA in April 2024 for betting on games and manipulating his own performance to impact prop bets. Investigators found that Porter deliberately exited multiple games early, including a 20 March 2024, game against the Sacramento Kings, in which he left after just three minutes—leading to significant betting payouts on his underperformance.
Authorities are also looking into Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, who has been linked to unusual betting activity during a March 2023 game while playing for the Charlotte Hornets. Federal investigators suspect Rozier may have manipulated his performance to influence wagers, though the NBA’s internal review did not find conclusive evidence of rule violations. The federal probe into Rozier remains ongoing.
The growing scandal underscores the challenges facing college sports in the era of widespread legalised betting. While professional leagues have implemented stronger monitoring systems, many college programmes lack the resources to detect and prevent gambling-related threats.