Congress to get bill on college sports betting

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Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2000 | 10:56 a.m.

The president of the NCAA says a bill will be introduced in Congress Jan. 26 to ban betting on collegiate sporting events.

Cedric Dempsey called upon NCAA members to support the initiative during his state of the association address at the NCAA's convention in San Diego Sunday, the Los Angeles Times reported.

"This will be an uphill battle," Dempsey said. "The opposition is well-financed and determined. But this is the right position for us to take. As a nation, we simply cannot sanction betting on college students."

Bill Saum, the NCAA's director of agent and gambling activities, said the NCAA would ask student-athletes to contact legislators to express support for the bill, the Times reported.

Such a bill would impact only Nevada, the only state that has legalized wagering on sporting events. The bill is expected to be introduced by Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., and Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.