The NCAA has taken a significant step in addressing issues of online abuse and harassment in college sports by becoming the first sports governing body to join IC360's Bad Actor Program. This initiative is designed to combat misconduct related to online betting. Alongside organizations such as DraftKings, Kalshi, Novig, and the founding member Fanatics Betting & Gaming, the NCAA aims to tackle the negative impacts of sports betting on student-athletes.
NCAA President Charlie Baker has expressed serious concerns about the harm sports betting can cause to both student-athletes and the integrity of college sports. In a recent announcement, he emphasized that the NCAA would actively pursue and report cases of online abuse as part of a strategy to enhance monitoring of its leagues and events.
The NCAA's collaboration with IC360 and the data analytics firm Signify Group was outlined, detailing that the organization plans to report incidents of abuse that occur during championship events. This information will help betting operators cross-check customer accounts and take decisive action against offenders.
“Athlete harassment has no place in college sports,” Baker stated. "The NCAA is committed to working with stakeholders across the sports betting ecosystem to eradicate this horrific behavior that plagues sports far too often, and that is why the NCAA is the first sport governing body to participate in the Bad Actor Program."
He added that the NCAA's involvement reaffirms its commitment to understanding and addressing online harassment, promoting accountability for those who target student-athletes, coaches, and officials.
The establishment of the Bad Actor Program in June by IC360 and Signify was marked by Fanatics Sportsbook as its inaugural member, pledging to suspend or permanently ban users who engage in abusive behavior. Fanatics Betting and Gaming CEO Matt King has called for other sportsbook operators to join the initiative to ensure that offending bettors do not evade consequences by simply signing up elsewhere.
As of Friday, the Bad Actor Program has welcomed five U.S. members: DraftKings, Fanatics, Kalshi, NCAA, and Novig. In Canada, the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) has also recently joined the program, committing to use IC360's resources for its PROLINE online sportsbook. IC360 representatives have indicated that conversations are ongoing with numerous existing partners about joining the program as well.
Equipped with tools like Signify’s AI-powered Threat Matrix, the Bad Actor Program aims to systematically address the increase in online abuse and threats towards college sports personnel. This program analyzes abuse reports from athletes and monitors social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, to identify offenders. When abusive behavior is flagged, the program can blacklist offending accounts and collaborate with relevant leagues and sports betting operators, and escalate severe cases to law enforcement if necessary.
The NCAA's commitment to the Bad Actor Program emphasizes their recognition of a growing issue relating to harassment in college sports. Baker has advocated for changes in betting regulations, particularly seeking a ban on college player prop bets, due to concerns that such wagers could jeopardize athlete welfare and the integrity of games.
According to the NCAA’s 2025 GOALS study, over half of Division I men’s basketball student-athletes reported experiencing social media abuse, with nearly half receiving threatening messages from bettors. Other research has highlighted this troubling trend.
Clint Hangebrauck, the NCAA’s Managing Director of Enterprise Risk Management, noted that the monitoring of online harassment and student-athlete surveys have provided essential data regarding the volume and sources of online abuse. He reaffirmed the NCAA's ongoing partnership with Signify and aims to capitalize on the Bad Actor Program to reinforce accountability and further shield college sports from threats and harassment.
