Share 
The NCAA is participating in the Bad Actor Program to address online harassment targeting student-athletes, coaches and officials. The initiative can support bans from participating betting platforms for people identified as abusers.
In its Oct. 29 announcement, the NCAA said it was the first sports governing body to publicly announce participation.
How the Bad Actor Program Works
Integrity Compliance 360, known as IC360, and Signify Group established the program. Fanatics Sportsbook is its first sportsbook partner, according to NCAA.org.
The initiative combines social media monitoring with investigative capabilities to identify and address abusive, threatening and harassing online behavior. The NCAA is working with Signify, IC360 and other stakeholders to report identified abusers across NCAA Championships.
“Athlete harassment has no place in college sports,” NCAA President Charlie Baker said.
“The NCAA has led efforts to better understand and address online harassment, and we are proud to support new tools that increase accountability for those who target student-athletes, coaches and officials.”
NCAA Research Documents Betting-Related Harassment
The NCAA began working with Signify in 2023 to monitor online abuse during its championships. Findings released in 2024 identified more than 5,000 verified abusive, discriminatory or threatening social media posts directed at championship participants.
Sports betting was directly linked to 12% of verified abuse. That share rose to 19% in men’s basketball.
March Madness participants received 80% of all verified abuse identified in the study. One student-athlete received more than 1,400 abusive messages in less than two weeks.
Women’s basketball student-athletes received approximately three times as many threats as men’s basketball student-athletes.
The NCAA’s 2025 GOALS study also documented harassment among Division I men’s basketball players. Among those student-athletes, 51% reported social media abuse tied to their athletics performance. Meanwhile, 46% reported negative or threatening messages from someone who had bet on their game.
The NCAA also collaborates with Venmo to identify and disrupt betting-related threats and harassment. That effort includes a dedicated reporting hotline, a student-athlete safety guide, account support and broader user education.
More from gamingtoday.com
- Patronis Seeks ACC Betting Policies Amid Federal NIL Push
- Bipartisan Bill In Congress Would Fine Colleges For Fielding Ex-Pros, Former Bettors
- Indiana Gaming Regulators Delay Decision on NCAA Push to Ban College Prop Bets
—
Source: As reported by NCAA.org.
