A U.S. Representative from Florida wants the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) to reveal its online sports betting policy for conference employees amid its support for a federal bill.
- The bill would create a national framework for conferences divided by self-interests.
- Florida State and Miami do not support the bill.
- The NCAA walked back its decision to allow student-athletes to bet on pro sports.
Fox News reported that Jimmy Patronis (R-FL) requested the information in an email sent to ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips and the conference’s board of directors on Thursday.
Patronis’ inquiry was in response to the ACC’s majority support for the Protect College Sports Act, a bipartisan piece of federal legislation introduced by Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA). The proposal passed a U.S. Senate vote in September, 77-22, and is waiting for consideration in the U.S. House of Representatives.
While the majority of the ACC’s member schools supported the initial version of the bill — which aims to create a unified framework for Division I athletics and end the “Wild West” era of name, image and likeness (NIL) arrangements — four did not. Two of those universities, Florida State and Miami, are based in the Sunshine State and objected to specific provisions within the text.
Now, Patronis wants more information about ACC employees’ gambling rights.
“Seeing as the ACC is asking Congress for help with NIL, I believe we must have transparency regarding each body’s policies and how they navigate online betting,” he said.
Patronis is hoping to receive specific information that includes rules for staff members, officials, and “other interested parties.” He also asked how the conference would protect the integrity of its competitions as sports betting continues to expand nationwide.
The recipients of the email were asked to respond before Congress returns in November.
Sports betting in the NCAA
The NCAA prohibited athletes and team officials from betting on sports in March 1997. A nationwide federal sports betting ban was lifted in 2018, quickly allowing the pastime to spread to states across the country. That ultimately forced the NCAA to update its protocols and rules for relevant personnel.
While NCAA President Charlie Baker has proactively attempted to address the negative effects of sports betting by seeking enforcement against violators and campaigning for the removal of player prop bets, the body briefly approved a rule change that would’ve allowed student-athletes to bet on professional sports.
However, Division I schools voted to walk back the change in November 2025, just 20 days after the change was first approved. That restored a complete ban on sports betting for student-athletes.
Individuals who are found guilty of breaching the NCAA’s sports betting bylaws could face a variety of punishments, including a partial or total loss of eligibility.
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Effects of the Act
The ACC’s support for the Protect College Sports Act largely stems from disharmony across major conferences. The bill establishes uniform rules for NIL deals, reporting agreements, agent registration, eligibility, transfers, conference realignment, and revenue allocation.
It would also implement a maximum 5% agent fee and award limited exemptions to the NCAA, conferences, and member schools for transfer, eligibility, and compensation rules. Media rights deals for FBS schools would also be collectively negotiated.
Many ACC leaders have spoken about the positives of the Act, which is more about the landscape of college sports than sports betting itself. But the continued spread of wagering and the rise of prediction markets ensure that industries will remain extremely prevalent in sports, regardless of how the House votes on the Act.
