NCAA Student-Athletes' Sports Gambling Behaviors Examined Using Psychological Reactance Theory

Since the repeal of the Pro and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) in 2018, sports gambling has been a rapidly growing segment of the sport world. The United States federal government has left it up to individual states to legalize and govern the activity of sports gambling, however, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) still prohibits (Bylaw 10.3) the activity regardless of legality. With it known that student-athletes violate Bylaw 10.3 (e.g., Paskus & Derevensky, 2025; Richard et al., 2019), this study examined sports gambling behaviors through under the scope of Psychological Reactance Theory (PRT) to investigate if student-athletes’ sports gambling engagement could be explained. The findings of this study revealed NCAA student-athletes’ understanding of Bylaw 10.3, their determined value on athletic eligibility, and everything related to their sports gambling behavior (e.g., amount of money wagered, frequency, moral restrictions) while disclosing bylaw violating actions.