SEC Mandates Gambling Education for Athletes

SEC INTRODUCES MANDATORY SPORTS GAMBLING EDUCATION FOR ATHLETES

New Educational Video Expands Conference-Wide Integrity Initiative Focused on Protecting Student-Athletes and the Integrity of Competition in the SEC

MIRAMAR BEACH, FL (May 27, 2026) – The Southeastern Conference today announced the launch of a new custom-designed, mandatory sports gambling educational video that will be viewed by all SEC student-athletes prior to the start of their team’s first regular season game during the upcoming 2026-27 athletic year.

The video is the latest component of the SEC’s comprehensive integrity program designed to educate and safeguard student-athletes amid the growing prevalence of sports gambling nationwide. The new custom-designed, mandatory video supplements and expands efforts that began with the Conference’s association with IC360 for monitoring of sports gambling activities in 2018 when it operated as US Integrity. In addition, the SEC:

• Implemented IC360’s ProhiBet product in 2023 for real-time monitoring of prohibited sports betting.
• Introduced student-athlete availability reporting in football, men’s and women’s basketball, and baseball in the Fall of 2024 to reduce pressure from outside entities seeking participation information.
• Distributed educational posters for viewing in team locker rooms at all SEC institutions beginning in January 2026.
• Established a sports gambling tip line in January 2026 that allows student-athletes and other SEC stakeholders to anonymously report suspicious activities related to sports gambling.

“The Southeastern Conference remains committed to supporting its member institutions and student-athletes through proactive education, monitoring, and resources that promote integrity and protect the student-athlete experience,” said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey. “The rise in sports gambling, including some recent well-documented incidents among college and professional athletics, as well as developments around prediction markets, makes this a high-priority initiative for the Southeastern Conference.”

Recent national surveys underscore the urgency of proactive education: approximately 58 percent of 18-to-22-year-olds have engaged in at least one sports betting activity, with rates climbing to 67 percent among students living on college campuses. Additionally, 31percent of adults under 30 reported placing a sports bet in the past year, reflecting a broader rise in participation among young people. During the 2025-26 academic year, approximately $12 billion was wagered (via state-regulated gambling operators and prediction markets) on games involving at least one SEC team.

The SEC’s mandatory video will be incorporated into each institution’s student-athlete education requirements and will provide clear, practical guidance on recognizing risks, understanding Conference and NCAA policies, and knowing how to report concerns. All SEC student-athletes will complete the training as part of annual campus compliance programming.

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