SEC football world grapples with gambling after Alabama baseball scandal

Alabama’s former baseball coach Brad Bohannon’s gambling scandal was one of the first to touch the SEC in the changing world of legalized sports wagering. It likely won’t be the last.

On Monday to open SEC Media Days in Nashville, conference commissioner Greg Sankey didn’t address the Bohannon situation by name but did hint at it.

“This spring our conference was touched by an apparent element of conduct that calls into question the integrity of competition or the individuals involved in that competition,” Sankey said from the podium. “And we’re not alone as participants from other conferences, some faced accountability for involvement in sports wagering activity.”

Athletes at Iowa and Iowa State are under investigation for gambling. In Alabama, the scandal exploded, forcing Bohannon’s firing after he allegedly was providing inside information to gamblers and using surrogates to place bets.

Sankey noted that SEC athletes and officials have faced abuse from losing gamblers online. He urged states to take action and pass laws to protect participants.

Meanwhile, athletes in the conference are just getting up to speed on what the rules are for them. Missouri defensive tackle Darius Robinson said that before the past year, players were somewhat in the dark.

“I don’t think that we did get a lot of information,” Robinson said. “A lot of people didn’t really know what they were getting themselves into, but I’m glad now the guidelines are clear.”

LSU running back Josh Williams said he isn’t much of a gambler, beyond occasionally playing blackjack, which is legal for NCAA athletes. He agreed with Robinson that sometimes players didn’t know what had been permissible.

“I do believe that we have gotten the certain details that we need to,” Williams said. “I think that in the past we didn’t get that information as much as we could have, but I think as the years have gone on, we have the information we need.”

NCAA players aren’t allowed to bet on any sport the organization sponsors. That applies at any level, which means college athletes can’t wager on professional sports either.

They are allowed to play casino games, cards and bet on things like horse racing. Just not sports.

Across the league, players took notes.

“We’ve been told that it’s unacceptable and it’s a thing that can’t happen in the locker room or anywhere,” LSU defensive lineman Mehki Wingo said. “We’ve been watching the media and seeing all the different people that’s getting caught in the NFL and in college and they just make it clear to us, it’s something that’s not tolerated.”

Wingo wasn’t the only one to mention the NFL issues. That league has recently had a rash of suspensions for players who were betting illegally.

Missouri cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine said he’s not a gambler at all but was still learning what he could. The Tigers recently had a meeting to warn players about sports wagering, but the NFL news has sunk in.

“I know it’s illegal, you can’t do it,” Abrams-Draine said. “So that’s all I know. The NFL people who played get suspended and stuff, so that’s fine.”

SEC Media Days will continue Tuesday from Nashville.