Could the Fresno State Betting Scandal Bolster Support for the SAFE Bet Act?
Turning Point in College Sports Betting: Fresno State's basketball team finds itself embroiled in a gambling investigation, with three players under the microscope for allegedly flouting NCAA gambling rules. Jalen Weaver and Zaon Collins, key contributors to the Bulldogs, have been suspended, while Mykell Robinson has been expelled.
The timing couldn't be more significant. As Congress slave away on the SAFE Bet Act, a federal measure aiming to tighten the noose on sports betting—particularly on college sports—this betting scandal serves up a high-profile example of just why lawmakers are pushing for stricter betting regulations.
The duo of suspended players is said to have placed bets on their own performances in games they played in, while Robinson is accused of wagering on professional sports. With the NCAA forbidding student-athletes from gambling on any sport, this raises serious concerns about fixed games or attempts to manipulate points.
Just as the dust starts to settle on Fresno State, uncertainty looms over the SAFE Bet Act. Although proposed, it has met stumbling blocks in the Senate and won't see the light of day until the next legislative session in 2025. If passed, the SAFE Bet Act could force California sportsbooks and betting apps across the country to remove college sports lines and beef up compliance measures to keep the market clean.
This gambling debacle isn't an isolated incident. Iowa and Iowa State universities have seen numerous athletes grilled for gambling, and the NCAA has taken a hard line against such wrongdoings. The investigation into Fresno State's players is ongoing, while the SAFE Bet Act continues to gain steam, using cases like this as an argument for why college sports should not be part of the legal betting market.
Legal sports betting faces mounting scrutiny, and Fresno State's scandal might prove to be a watershed moment in how lawmakers, sportsbooks, and universities approach betting moving forward.
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Keywords: SAFE Bet Act | Fresno State Bulldogs | Jalen Weaver | Mykell Robinson | Zaon Collins | NCAA gambling
Michael MolterMichael has honed his skills in basketball scouting for Florida State University under Leonard Hamilton and the University of Alabama under Anthony Grant before setting his sights on NBA content. With a degree from both schools, Michael focuses on legal sports betting bills, sports betting revenue data, tennis betting odds, and sportsbook reviews. Michael spends his off-time playing basketball, hiking, and kayaking—all while keeping tabs on mid-level tennis matches.
- The Fresno State Bulldogs basketball team is currently under investigation for allegedly breaking NCAA gambling rules, with key players Jalen Weaver and Zaon Collins suspended, and Mykell Robinson expelled.
- The SAFE Bet Act, a federal measure aiming to tighten regulations on sports betting, particularly in college sports, is currently being debated in Congress.
- Reportedly, Weaver and Collins placed bets on their own performances in games they played in, while Robinson is accused of wagering on professional sports.
- If the SAFE Bet Act is passed, it could force sportsbooks and betting apps across the country to remove college sports lines and strengthen compliance measures to maintain a clean market.
- This isn't the only instance of gambling wrongdoings in universities; Iowa and Iowa State universities have also seen athletes questioned for similar acts.
- The ongoing investigation into Fresno State's players and the progress of the SAFE Bet Act are both serving as arguments for why college sports should not be included in the legal betting market.
