SEC Adds Mandatory Gambling Training for Athletes

The Southeastern Conference will require all student-athletes to complete a new sports gambling education program before the start of competition during the 2026-27 athletic year, expanding a broader effort aimed at addressing integrity concerns tied to the rapid growth of sports betting and prediction markets.

Conference officials announced that every SEC athlete must watch a newly produced educational video before participating in their team’s first regular-season contest. The program will become part of the league’s annual compliance requirements across member institutions.

Conference leaders said the initiative reflects mounting concern over gambling activity among young adults and increased wagering on college athletics. According to the SEC, approximately $12 billion was wagered during the 2025-26 academic year through state-regulated sportsbooks and federally regulated prediction markets on games involving at least one SEC team.

“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,” SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said in a statement.

“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 Expands Existing Integrity Measures

The required video represents the latest addition to a conference-wide integrity strategy that has steadily expanded over several years. The SEC first partnered with integrity monitoring company IC360 in 2018, when the business operated under the name US Integrity.

In 2023, the conference implemented IC360’s ProhiBet system to provide real-time monitoring of prohibited betting activity. The SEC later introduced athlete availability reporting requirements for football, baseball, and men’s and women’s basketball beginning in the fall of 2024. Conference officials said the reporting policy aimed to reduce pressure from outside parties seeking player participation information.

Additional measures followed earlier this year. Beginning in January 2026, SEC schools displayed sports gambling awareness posters in locker rooms across member campuses. The conference also established an anonymous tip line that allows athletes, staff members, and other stakeholders to report suspicious gambling-related activity.

The new video training will provide guidance on sports betting risks, conference and NCAA gambling rules, and procedures for reporting concerns involving integrity issues. Schools must include the program within their existing compliance education before competition begins this season.

League officials said the educational effort responds to broader trends among younger demographics. The SEC cited national survey data showing that 58% of individuals between the ages of 18 and 22 have participated in at least one sports betting activity. Among students living on college campuses, that figure rose to 67%. The conference also pointed to research indicating that 31% of adults under 30 placed a sports wager during the previous year.

NCAA Rules Remain Strict on Gambling

The NCAA continues to prohibit betting on both professional and college sports for athletes and other participants connected to collegiate athletics. Gambling violations have remained a major point of discussion across college sports as legal wagering expands throughout the United States.

One recent case involved Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby, who was declared ineligible after placing wagers that included bets involving teams he previously played for at other schools. His reinstatement request was denied Tuesday, and Texas Tech has appealed the ruling.

The SEC’s current position also reflects earlier debates within the NCAA surrounding possible revisions to gambling rules. Last year, the NCAA explored a proposal that would have allowed athletes to wager on professional sports while maintaining restrictions on college competitions. The proposal did not advance after Sankey and several college coaches voiced opposition.

Prediction markets have also become part of the conversation surrounding sports gambling oversight. Conference officials specifically referenced developments involving prediction markets while explaining why the SEC considers the issue a priority.

Betting Access Continues to Grow Across SEC States

Legalized sports betting availability differs throughout the SEC footprint. Of the 39 states where sports betting is legal in some form, seven jurisdictions that host SEC programs currently operate retail sportsbooks, online sportsbooks, or both.

Missouri became the newest SEC-related state to launch sports wagering operations in December 2025. Alongside traditional sportsbooks, prediction market platforms remain accessible throughout every SEC state.

Kalshi and Polymarket both allow users who are at least 18 years old to trade contracts tied to college football, basketball, and baseball events. The accessibility of those products has added another layer to ongoing discussions around gambling exposure for college athletes and the integrity of competition.

Conference officials said the SEC’s updated education program is designed to ensure athletes understand the risks associated with gambling activity while reinforcing reporting procedures and league policies before each athletic season begins.