NEWYou can now listen to Pakinomist articles!
Pittsburgh head football coach Pat Narduzzi criticized policymakers who have allowed NCAA athletes to bet on professional sports.
“It’s absolutely one of the dumbest decisions I’ve ever seen,” Narduzzi told the media on Monday, saying players could fall into the “disease” of “addiction”.
“I’m not a gambler. So I just don’t get it. I’m not addicted to anything. I just don’t think it’s a great thing to teach our young people how to do,” Narduzzi continued. “It’s hard enough in the compliance office to try to get your guys to not gamble — you can bet on a boxing match, you can bet on horse racing because it’s not an NCAA sport, but who really bet on horse racing unless you go to the track? You can go to the casino and play craps or whatever you want it to bet on, but now you can pick it up and on the app and it’s like, what are we doing? Once you do it once and you win, you want to do it again, it becomes an addiction. I just don’t think it’s good… It’s a bad deal.”
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON Pakinomist
Pittsburgh Panthers head coach Pat Narduzzi reacts to a call against the Syracuse Orange in the second half at the JMA Wireless Dome. (Rich Barnes/Imagn Images)
Narduzzi also noted that simple innocence, combined with carelessness, could lead to severe penalties.
“Press the wrong button on your phone, see what happens. ‘Oh, I thought it was an NFL game, but I pressed the wrong button and bet on a college football game.’ I just don’t think it’s good. And I won’t change my tune.”
Narduzzi said he would discuss the new rules with his team and offer some advice.
Pat Narduzzi against the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium on September 11, 2021 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
LANE KIFFIN GETS LAST LAUGH ON OKLAHOMA PLAYER AFTER OLE MISS GET GRITTY ROAD WIN
“Stay away. Nothing changes in our room. You shouldn’t do any of that. Save your money. Put it in the bank. Those are my feelings.”
Starting Saturday, the NCAA will change its bans on gambling to make it legal for athletes to bet on professional sports. They will still be prohibited from placing bets on college athletics.
The rule change was announced just one day before three prominent NBA figures – Chauncey Billups, Terry Rozier and Damon Jones – were arrested by the FBI for their alleged roles in illegal gambling.
Pittsburgh head coach Pat Narduzzi watches the players practice on the field before a college football game between the Pittsburgh Panthers and the University of Miami Hurricanes on November 26, 2022 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Doug Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Rozier and Jones were arrested for allegedly leaking non-public information to players, while Billups and Jones are accused of knowingly competing in and financially benefiting from rigged poker games with mob ties.
