Georgia Football Staffer Violates NCAA’s Sports Betting Rules

A Georgia football staffer was dismissed from the program on Thursday after violating NCAA rules on sports betting, according to the school and Marc Weiszer of Athens Banner-Herald.

Georgia football staff member violated the NCAA’s sports betting rules when the bets were placed in August of 2020

The wagers occurred in August of 2020. However, the bets were discovered, reviewed, and processed in 2023, per Will Lawler, Georgia’s deputy athletic director who oversees compliance.

According to multiple reports, the staffer is not expected to rejoin the Bulldogs in the future. The bets are included in the most recent NCAA Level III violations the school listed this month in its latest quarterly report.

“If the staff member is hired by another SEC institution in the future the staff member is required to complete a sports gambling education program/session, and the hiring institution is required to submit a written plan to the Conference office for monitoring the staff member to assure he does not commit similar violations in the future,” according to UGA’s violation summary.

Georgia also previously reported a violation in 2022 when a Bulldog athlete placed a bet on a fantasy sports app. That was also listed as Level III which is considered isolated or limited in nature.

Wagering on sports that are sponsored by the NCAA is a violation for athletes, coaches

Betting on sports that are sponsored by the NCAA is a violation for athletes and coaches. The rule still applies even if the athlete or coach is in a pro or international league.

“We’ve had issues with that in the past, too,” Georgia football coach Kirby Smart said in May of 2023. “It’s more prevalent. I can’t turn the TV on now without seeing something.

“There’s a lot of debate out there about what’s right and what’s wrong, but the NCAA rule is pretty harsh for gambling relative to some other things. It’s pretty obvious why. They don’t want that infiltrating teams.”

According to Weiszer, Georgia listed 23 Level III violations for the 2023-2024 academic year. Seventeen were in the first six months and were previously reported.

On June 26, 2023, the Bulldogs reported a coach for calling a 2024 prospect before it was permissible. Since the permissible date was June 15, that staff member was prohibited from calling that prospect for two weeks.

Georgia also reported a violation involving a non-coach football staff member on Sept. 6. The individual allegedly participated in a practice drill, exceeding the countable coaching staff limit.