Failed NCAA Gambling Investigation is Cause for Concern

With March Madness right around the corner, a major story from men’s college basketball has flown under the radar.

The NCAA announced that two former North Carolina A&T players have been ruled ineligible after failing to cooperate with its gambling investigation. While the league confirmed that the players have provided some of the requested documents, both refused to participate in an interview regarding the investigation. 

The players, Ryan Forrest and Landon Glasper, were the team’s top scorers during the 2024-25 season. The former claims he has been cooperating with the NCAA, while the latter has yet to release an official statement.

Both players ended their college careers after last season.

NCAA Alleges Players Flaunted Betting Success

The NCAA investigation was started after social media posts from the former North Carolina A&T stars. Investigators found images of the duo posing with stacks of cash before games. Others showed winning bet tickets for games involving the NFL, NBA, and NCAA.

Those posts led the NCAA to request financial documents from Forrest and Glasper to review for suspicious deposits. While Forrest claims to have cooperated, the league says only Glasper was willing to provide some of the requested documents.

North Carolina A&T Mired in Betting Scandals

The lack of a true punishment is cause for concern, but it's not the only one.

The small North Carolina A&T men’s basketball program was already dealing with gambling investigations before the NCAA set its sights on Forrest and Glasper. The duo’s former teammate Camian Shell was indicted by federal prosecutors in January for point shaving, including during the 2024-25 season.

An assistant coach was also investigated for overgambling, which is how the NCAA stumbled onto Forrest and Glasper.

The school’s inability to detect or deter illegal betting schemes is concerning. While we remain unaware of what officials knew was going on, it may matter. These small programs have few funds to help investigate betting allegations. With their players not receiving the big NIL payments that athletes at larger schools do, the temptation can be far greater.

League Needs Federal Indictment

The NCAA's allegations against Forrest and Glasper carry a big risk. That’s because they are publicly admitting that they believe a betting scandal took place, but don’t have the authority to prove or truly punish it. 

Some athletes may look at the story and see two peers publicly flaunting the big money with zero consequences. It also shows how long the league can take to act and its lack of authority over former players.

This makes a federal indictment against the duo absolutely crucial. This would carry severe consequences and show the country that the NCAA has the support of federal investigators. It would also ease the minds of bettors, many of whom are growing concerned over the integrity of the games they wager on.