NCAA to sell championship gambling data to sportsbooks via Genius Sports
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) will begin selling live data from its championship events to sportsbooks nationwide through an expanded partnership with Genius Sports (NYSE: GENI). The deal signals a major shift in the organisation’s cautious stance toward the legal betting industry.
NCAA’s approach to sports betting
The intercollegiate athletics watchdog has historically kept its distance from sports gambling, often speaking out about its potential negative impact on college athletes. However, now, the organisation appears to be adapting to a rapidly evolving sports landscape—seeking new revenue streams.
According to the new agreement, Genius Sports will have exclusive rights to distribute live data from NCAA championships—including the highly valuable men’s and women’s March Madness tournaments—through 2032. Regular-season games and FBS football postseason games like the College Football Playoff are not included.
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No upfront payment; revenue-sharing continues
Genius Sports is not paying an additional fee for the sportsbook rights. Instead, the two sides will continue the revenue-sharing model established in their original 2018 partnership, according to a Sportico report quoting sources. Financial terms were not disclosed publicly.
The partnership comes as the NCAA looks for ways to diversify its income beyond its $1.38 billion annual revenue, most of which currently stems from media rights deals.
Safeguards against problematic betting
The agreement introduces an “Authorised Gaming License” (AGL) system, requiring sportsbooks to meet certain conditions to access NCAA data and branding. Key protections include:
- Ban on risky proposition bets: Wagers on underperformance, injuries, referee decisions, or fan-voted awards will not be allowed.
- Cooperation with NCAA investigations: Sportsbooks must provide critical information like geolocation and device data.
- License termination rights: The NCAA can revoke data access if integrity protections are violated.
“NCAA data will only be available to sportsbooks if they remove risky bets and fully cooperate with integrity efforts,” said Tim Buckley, NCAA senior vice president for external affairs.
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The NCAA was quick to clarify that it is not endorsing sports betting. The organisation will continue to restrict gambling advertising and sponsorships at its events.
Additionally, a portion of revenue from the Genius deal will fund education initiatives focused on problem gambling and efforts to monitor harassment against student-athletes.
Genius Sports strengthens its position
Genius Sports will also continue to operate NCAA LiveStats—available free to member schools—and plans to enhance its services using the AI platform, GeniusIQ. These upgrades will improve real-time analytics for coaching, broadcasters, and fans.
The company’s stock has more than doubled over the past year, as Genius and Sportradar have consolidated power in the U.S. sports data market.
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What’s included—and what’s not
The NCAA’s expanded Genius Sports deal covers nearly every major collegiate championship—from lacrosse to volleyball to wrestling. However, it notably does not cover the College Football Playoff or top-tier bowl games, which operate independently.
Still, the deal positions the NCAA to better control the betting ecosystem around its premier events while opening a new, closely monitored revenue stream.
