The SEC Spring Meetings are currently underway in Florida bringing some of the biggest voices and most influential figures in college sports together. The topics at the meetings are wide ranging as College Football Playoff expansion, NIL and Revenue Sharing, Scheduling Changes, and more are all at the forefront of this ever changing college sports landscape.
While many expected for the biggest news to come out of the SEC Spring Meetings to be regarding their stance on College Football Playoff expansion, the first big announcement went in a different direction. While the first major change doesn't involve the actual games, the SEC is making a meaningful impact.
The SEC announces mandatory gambling education for athletes
On Wednesday, the SEC announced that a new custom-designed, mandatory sports gambling educational video was created, and would be viewed by all athletes prior to their first regular season game. In a press release shared by the SEC, commissioner Greg Sankey said the following about the new resources being provided.
"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. 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."SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey
The SEC has had a gambling education program in place, but the new mandatory video is another great step in educating the athletes. As the studies the SEC provided show, gambling has become wildly popular among college aged individuals, and educating the student-athletes on all the risks and dangers involved will only be for the best.
Given some of the recent stories around college football, further educating the athletes will only help the schools, the conference, and most importantly the athletes in the long run. On Tuesday, Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby was denied reinstatement by the NCAA amid an investigation into his gambling activity.
Earlier this offseason, Brendan Sorsby entered treatment for gambling addiction as it was revealed that the transfer quarterback has placed "Thousands of wagers using mobile apps", including bets on Indiana Football during his time with the Hoosiers. Sorsby is now ruled ineligible by the NCAA, and he may miss the rest of his college football career.
The SEC has had its own issues as gambling has become more popular, including with one of their former head coaches. Former Alabama Baseball coach Brad Bohannon was issued a 15-year show cause marking the longest handed down to a head coach for his involvement in a betting scandal back in 2023.
Gambling only continues to rise in popularity as additional state continue to approve it while prediction markets have become a new market. Given that gambling is here to stay on a state by state basis, the best each conference and program can do is continue to provide student athletes with every resource possible to help prevent outcomes like we've seen in Sorsby's case.
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