Roy Alexander, a college football player, has initiated legal action against the NCAA following a six-game suspension imposed for betting violations.
Between 2023 and 2025, Alexander admitted to placing bets while playing for Albany and Incarnate Word. After that period, he transferred to Texas Tech, the same team that signed Brendon Sorsby in January of this year, before returning to Incarnate Word.
Sorsby, who transferred to Texas Tech just one day before Alexander left, never played for the team as he faced his own gambling scandal. He was made permanently ineligible by the NCAA but was granted a temporary injunction by a Texas judge, allowing him to participate this season. Despite public backlash, Sorsby withdrew his lawsuit and opted for the NFL, though the league did not hold a supplemental draft.
Alexander's lawsuit suggests that the six-game suspension is excessively punitive, especially because he did not bet on any games involving his teams, thus claiming it did not compromise game integrity. Comparatively, Sorsby placed a greater number of bets, including wagers on his own team's games, yet was granted an injunction.
His legal team emphasizes that Alexander's actions were less severe; he ceased betting voluntarily and accepted responsibility for his actions. "While Roy has taken accountability for his actions, ceasing to stop wagering on his own, the [NCAA] dealt him a six-game suspension, which is wholly unreasonable in light of the conduct," the lawsuit asserts.
The NCAA, which had briefly modified its gambling rules last year to permit players to wager on professional sports, reinstated a full ban following a vote to maintain tighter regulations. As stated, "The Association stands by these rules—which were recently upheld and supported by the majority of Division I schools—and we will continue to defend against threats to avoid accountability and undermine these common sense standards."
Alexander's suit is the latest among several lawsuits from students against the NCAA. Law professor Melinda Roth noted that the ruling in Sorsby's case further diminishes the NCAA’s authority, emphasizing the number of legal losses the organization has faced, including a Ninth Circuit decision that declared its restrictions on athletes profiting from their own Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) violated federal antitrust laws.
With the ability for students now to monetize their involvement in college sports, the NCAA also agreed to return millions to athletes in a $2.57 billion settlement. If Alexander prevails in his legal battle, it may encourage more students to contest disciplinary measures related to betting in the future.
