Georgia Football Sacks Staffer After Sports Betting Violation

• A Georgia Football staffer has been fired over an impermissible sports bet in 2020
• The University of Georgia reported the level III violation in its most recent violation report
• The unnamed staffed engaged in impermissible sports betting on professional sports

An unnamed Georgia football staffer violated NCAA rules when he or she participated in impermissible sports betting on professional sports and is no longer with the program.

The Level III violation was revealed by the University of Georgia in its most recent NCAA violations report, which included discovered incidents from July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024.

The Athens-Banner Herald reported the individual is no longer with the Georgia football program. Sports betting is not regulated or legal in the state.

Incident Occurred in 2020

The staffer reportedly engaged in the activity on Aug. 1, 2020. The Athens-Banner Herald reported the incident was not discovered, reviewed, or processed until 2023, according to Will Lawler, Georgia’s deputy athletic director.

According to the violation report, the unnamed staffer “engaged in impermissible sports wagering in professional sports.” The University of Georgia revealed that its sport staff members received additional rules and gambling education to ensure another incident would not occur.

“Rules education for the involved individual and sport staff members. If the staff member is hired by another SEC institution in the future staff member is required to complete a sports gambling education program/session, and the hiring institution is required to submit a written plan to the Conference office for monitoring the staff member to assure he does not commit similar violations in the future,” the school wrote in its report.

Level III NCAA violations are described as incidents that involve a “breach of conduct” and are the least severe in the NCAA’s violation structure. The violations are described as follows:

• Are isolated or limited in nature
• Provide no more than a minimal recruiting, competitive or other advantage
• Provide no more than a minimal impermissible benefit

Allowable Activity in the Future?

But could coaches, staff members, and even collegiate athletes be allowed to bet on sports in the future?  At the most recent SBC Summit North America meeting, an NCAA director revealed a discussion will likely take place sometime this year that will touch on the possibility of allowing study athletes and team staff to bet on college and professional sports.

Mark Hicks, managing director of enforcement for the NCAA, made the comment on May 8 during the SBC Summit North America session, “The college controversy continues: Where’s the final destination for university sports?” It came after session moderator Paul Buck, CEO of EPIC Global Solutions, asked if the NCAA would adjust its stance on legal gambling after recent issues have come into play with athletes betting on their own teams or betting on themselves.

Hicks noted the NCAA is currently discussing its sports betting policy to determine “whether or not our rule is in the right place.” The first part of the discussion is an evaluation of the sports betting policy and if it should be uniform across all three collegiate athletic divisions.

The second part of the discussion, which Hicks said will take place later this year, is a discussion evaluating the sports betting policy for student athletes and team staff members.

“And the second part of this year will be a discussion about, should it be liberalized? Should student athletes and athletic staff be allowed to bet on professional sports, college sports…whatever it is that conversation will take place the rest of this year and we’ll see where it goes,” Hicks said.

At the time, an NCAA spokesperson told Sports Betting Dime that it evaluates all of its policies on an ongoing basis, but provided no other information and declined an interview request with Hicks.

“The NCAA engages in discussions with all three divisions to review rules and policies on an ongoing basis. As the sports betting environment evolves and additional data is gathered, the Association will continue to seek feedback from members to assess any necessary rule changes or modifications,” the spokesperson said.