NCAA Implements Technology to Monitor Referees for Betting Activity

The NCAA has announced a new initiative to monitor referees during its upcoming basketball tournaments, both men’s and women’s. Starting this year, the organization will utilize a technology called ProhiBet, developed by Integrity Compliance 360 (IC360), to identify any officials who attempt to place bets or open sportsbook accounts. This move reflects the NCAA’s commitment to maintaining the integrity of college sports amid the growing presence of sports betting.

ProhiBet works by cross-referencing anonymized identification data from officials with customer data from participating sportsbooks. If any anomalies are detected, the system will flag these for further investigation. According to Mark Hicks, the NCAA’s managing director of enforcement, “Implementing ProhiBet is a major step in increasing integrity protections for college sports.” He emphasized that this platform adds another layer to the NCAA’s existing integrity monitoring program, which prioritizes both competition integrity and student-athlete well-being.

Monitoring Officials for Integrity

The NCAA has strict regulations prohibiting not only student-athletes but also coaches and staff from engaging in sports betting. For the upcoming tournaments, over 220 officials, including alternate referees, will be subject to these rules. In addition to passing rigorous background checks, these officials will have their names uploaded to the ProhiBet system. Anonymized data will then be compared with information from more than two dozen U.S. sportsbooks that have already adopted this technology.

This implementation marks the first time the NCAA will use ProhiBet to monitor officials at championship events. While many NCAA schools and conferences have incorporated the technology into their operations, this year’s basketball tournaments serve as a significant milestone in terms of oversight.

Scott Sadin, co-CEO of IC360, highlighted the importance of this collaboration, stating, “This collaboration sets a new industry benchmark and reinforces the importance of proactive deterrence and detection in keeping collegiate athletics fair.” The initiative aims to deter any potential misconduct by officials, ensuring that the integrity of the competition remains intact as the landscape of sports betting continues to evolve.

As sports betting becomes increasingly mainstream in the United States, the NCAA’s proactive steps reflect a broader trend within professional and collegiate sports to safeguard against potential threats to fair competition. By leveraging technology such as ProhiBet, the NCAA is taking significant strides to ensure that both officials and the integrity of the games are protected during this high-stakes tournament season.