NCAA implements player availability reports for March Madness 2026

The NCAA announced Thursday that it will introduce player availability reports for the 2026 Division I men’s and women’s basketball championships in an effort to address the pressure that sports betting puts on student athletes.

The reports are intended to protect the “welfare of players and the integrity of competition from sports betting influences” by publicly disclosing whether athletes are “available,” “questionable” or “out” before tournament games, the NCAA said in a statement.

“After months of thorough discussion and exploration, I applaud the Division I Men’s and Women’s Basketball Committees for taking such important action,” said NCAA President Charlie Baker. in a statement. “Implementing player availability reporting is an important step in increasing student-athlete protections by easing the pressure to improve their college experience.”

NCAA announces implementation of player availability reporting for the 2026 DI Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships. https://t.co/jHWKf8VGfP

— NCAA News (@NCAA_PR) October 30, 2025

The reporting system requires teams to submit updates the night before and two hours before each game. Inaccurate or incomplete reports may result in sanctions determined by the NCAA committees.

The NCAA will review the program after the 2026 tournaments to consider expanding it to other championships. The initiative is part of the NCAA’s broader efforts to combat the risks of sports betting through integrity monitoring, athlete education and advocacy for the elimination of gag betting involving college players.

The influence of sports betting on athletes has been a big topic lately. Earlier this week, at the urging of SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey, the NCAA agreed to delay implementation of a rule that would allow college athletes to bet on professional sports.

And last week, NBA guard Terry Rozier and NBA coach Chauncey Billups were among those arrested in an FBI investigation into illegal gambling. Rozier was accused of deliberately removing himself from a match in 2023 so a co-conspirator could place a bet and win. In the same case, former NBA player Damon Jones was accused of using his knowledge of a teammate’s health status to instruct a co-conspirator to make a “big bet” on the opposing team.

FBI Director Kash Patel said of the case: “This is the story of insider trading for the NBA.”