NCAA’s Baker believes sports event contracts feel ‘catastrophic’

NCAA President Charlie Baker has been outspoken about the impact of legal sports betting on its student-athletes, but the organization is also having to consider another vertical.

Baker sat down with Yahoo! Sports to discuss the legal sports betting industry and how the NCAA is responding to recent gambling infractions across sports and the steps the organization is taking to protect its student-athletes. Baker also discussed the growing popularity of prediction markets and how the NCAA perceives the emerging platforms.

Easy access to online wagering changed the game

Since the overturning of PASPA in 2018, the NCAA has worked to develop and implement a framework that protects student-athletes from gambling-related harm and ensures the integrity of competition. However, the rapid pace of growth and the accessibility of online sports wagering impacts how the NCAA sets a standard related to regulated gambling.

“I don’t think anybody was anticipating that it [legal sports betting] woul..