Black Issues in Higher Education: Senate Committee Approves Anti-Gambling Bill

A U.S. Senate committee has approved legislation to halt all legal betting on college sports. The bill from Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., primarily targets legalized gambling on college sports in Nevada. However, McCain says such action also will reduce illegal gambling on amateur sports nationwide, since these illegal activities rely heavily on betting lines and point spreads derived from legal gambling channels.

"Betting on amateur athletics invites public speculation as to their legitimacy and transforms student-athletes into objects to be bet upon," McCain says.

Before approving the bill, the Senate Commerce Committee also approved an amendment requiring colleges and universities to monitor students' gambling on amateur sports over wire communications.

The committee also approved an amendment from Sen. John Breaux, D-La., requiring colleges to submit information on illegal gambling, including Internet gambling, as they now report on crimes on campus, and requiring colleges to provide statement of policy on illegal gambling activity. The amendment also called for the Education Department and Justice Department to review policies and practices of colleges on illegal gambling.

The bill, S. 718, also directs the federal government to conduct research on the use of performance-enhancing drugs by athletes and to review methods that can identify the use of such products.