Poll Finds Newspapers From All 65 Schools in Men's NCAA Basketball Tournament Open to Advertising Internet Gambling Sites

Washington, D.C.—Despite the NCAA’s insistence that it is trying to stamp out illegal gambling on college campuses, the student newspapers of all 65 universities that qualified for the NCAA basketball tournament either take or would run advertising for Internet gambling sites, according to an informal poll released today by the American Gaming Association (AGA).

The poll, conducted by National Media, an Alexandria, Va., -based media placement firm, also found that all 11 schools who have members on the NCAA Division I board of directors would also run the advertising. Among the schools polled were Penn State, Michigan State, University of Maryland, University of North Carolina, University of Kansas, University of Arizona, Duke University, Notre Dame, Indiana University, Stanford, Cal-Berkeley, Boston College, Syracuse University, University of Florida, University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Tennessee.

“The NCAA is attempting to stop legal, regulated gaming on NCAA sports in Nevada, under the guise of preventing illegal gambling on college campuses sometimes thousands of miles away. Not only are these college campus newspapers promoting illegal gambling, they are also profiting from it,” said Frank J. Fahrenkopf, Jr., president and CEO of the AGA, pointing out that while underage students have access to Internet sites, most students at these universities cannot gamble legally in Nevada. In Nevada, you must be 21 years old and physically present to wager with Nevada sports books.

In conducting the poll, National Media contacted, by phone, the advertising departments of the schools to determine if the newspapers would sell advertising space to Internet gambling sites. Not one said they would not and all quoted the cost of running the ads.

“When college students can gamble right in their own dorm rooms through hundreds of off-shore Internet gambling sites, it’s no wonder that illegal sports gambling is so widespread on college campuses,” said Fahrenkopf. “Illegal sports gambling will continue to be a problem in colleges and universities until the NCAA and its member schools focus their attention on stopping illegal sports gambling where it starts, on the campuses.”

The NCAA is advocating a federal ban on legal college sports wagering in Nevada that would do nothing to eliminate the widespread illegal gambling occurring on college campuses and elsewhere in the country.

In contrast, the gaming industry is supporting comprehensive federal legislation offered by the Nevada Congressional delegation that would increase enforcement and penalties, evaluate the extent and causes of illegal gambling, and require schools to put in place education programs for their students. This legislation has strong bipartisan support in both the House and Senate and is the realistic solution to addressing the problem of illegal gambling.

The American Gaming Association represents the commercial casino-entertainment industry by addressing federal legislative and regulatory issues. The association also serves as a clearinghouse for information, develops educational and advocacy programs, and provides leadership on industry-related issues of public concern.

NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT TEAMS

All of the student newspapers at these schools are willing to sell advertising space to Internet gambling sites.

Alabama
Alabama State University

Arizona
University of Arizona

Arkansas
University of Arkansas

California
California State Northridge
Fresno State University
Stanford University
University of California - Berkeley
University of California - Los Angeles (UCLA)
University of Southern California (USC)

Florida
University of Florida

Georgia
Georgia State University
Georgia Tech University
University of Georgia

Hawaii
University of Hawaii

Illinois
Eastern Illinois University
University of Illinois

Indiana
Butler University
Indiana University
Indiana State University
University of Notre Dame

Iowa
Iowa State University
University of Iowa

Kansas
University of Kansas

Kentucky
University of Kentucky
Western Kentucky University

Louisiana
Northwestern State University

Maryland
University of Maryland

Massachusetts
Boston College
College of the Holy Cross

Michigan
Michigan State University

Mississippi
University of Mississippi

Missouri
University of Missouri

Nebraska
Creighton University

New Jersey
Monmouth University
Princeton University

New York
Hofstra University
Iona College
Syracuse University

North Carolina
Duke University
University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina - Charlotte
University of North Carolina - Greensboro
Wake Forest University

Ohio
Kent State University
Ohio State University
University of Cincinnati
Xavier University

Oklahoma
Oklahoma State University
University of Oklahoma

Pennsylvania
Penn State University
St. Josephs University
Temple University

Rhode Island
Providence College

South Carolina
Winthrop University

Tennessee
University of Tennessee

Texas
University of Texas - Austin

Utah
Brigham Young University
Southern Utah University
Utah State University

Virginia
George Mason University
Hampton University
University of Virginia

Washington
Gonzaga University

Washington, DC
Georgetown University

Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin - Madison