What is a primary reason for discouraging gambling by student-athletes?

• A. To protect student-athlete welfare and fairness
• B. To promote gambling education
• C. To increase betting revenue
• D. To improve athlete performance

Answer: (A)

Protecting student-athlete welfare and the integrity of competition is the primary reason to discourage gambling by student-athletes. When players gamble, they face real risks to their personal well-being, such as potential financial harm, addiction, or stress that can cloud judgment and disrupt training and performance. More importantly, betting creates conflicts of interest and vulnerabilities to pressure or manipulation that could affect how a game is played or how decisions are made. This threatens the fairness of sport and the trust fans and institutions place in student-athletes to compete honestly under amateur rules and eligibility standards.

Gambling education can be supportive, helping athletes understand risks and how to seek help, but it doesn’t by itself prevent the core harms. The options that suggest increasing betting revenue or directly improving performance don’t align with the goal of protecting welfare and fairness.