NCAA Joins Bad Actor Program Against Betting-Related Harassment

The NCAA has joined the Bad Actor Program, run by IC360 and Signify Group, to combat online harassment targeting college athletes, coaches and referees. The program scans social media to identify abusive posts. The information it gathers helps participating organizations ban individuals from betting sites and keep them out of live events.

NCAA President Charlie Baker said that online harassment from bettors remains widespread in college sports. He stated that harassment of athletes has no acceptable side and that the organization will work with stakeholders in the betting ecosystem to eliminate this behavior.

According to the American Gaming Association, approximately $167 billion was wagered on sports at legal betting sites in the United States in 2025. Betting companies kept about $17 billion of that money as winnings. Losses this large have led some bettors to direct their anger at college athletes.

A survey the NCAA published in November 2025 found that 36% of Division I men's basketball athletes experienced betting-related social media abuse in the past year. 7% of all Division I male athletes reported receiving negative or threatening messages from bettors. The rate was lower among female athletes, at around 1%.

The program aims to identify such harassment and impose sanctions on offenders, including betting bans, removal from live events, or referral to law enforcement. The program's website notes that an angry social media post can quickly escalate into targeted harassment and threats.