NCAA Establishes Partnership with Venmo to Support Athletes

• Venmo establishes a hotline for athletes
• NCAA supports athletes against online gambling
• PayPal enters agreements for direct payments to athletes

Venmo announced a partnership with the NCAA aimed at supporting athletes who are affected by gambling on payment platforms. This partnership includes a hotline for reporting gambling-related incidents, such as the case when former Auburn quarterback, Payton Thorne, received a payment request from a bookie after a loss in the previous season.

NCAA President Charlie Baker noted that gambling in the online space is unprecedented and has closed off fans to better conduct. Venmo will also provide guidelines for athletes regarding gambling on the platform.

The company will continuously monitor student-athlete accounts to prevent an increase in requests related to their gaming activities, and work on additional gambling prevention measures as needed.

In July, Venmo also introduced debit cards with the Big 12 brand, which affirms its role in the lives of students, athletes, and fans. PayPal, the parent company of Venmo, has entered into agreements with Big 12 and Big Ten, allowing educational institutions to make direct payments to their athletes.

Tags: Sport