ACC commissioner: We’ve considered a sports betting partner ‘from a little bit of a distance’

The list of ways that legalized gambling and sports betting partnerships have damaged players and put them in harm’s way continues to grow, but the sweet, sweet money that leagues can make still makes it too tantalizing to turn down.

The Big Ten implemented mandatory injury reports in 2023, and the SEC followed suit in 2024. The College Football Playoff made it compulsory last month, as such information is incredibly valuable to gamblers who place bets on the outcomes of those games.

The ACC is joining them this season, as the league announced last Tuesday that it will require teams to publish public availability reports for players’ game status.

That’s an “important one from a financial standpoint,” commissioner Jim Phillips told Front Office Sports. “The gambling and sports wagering landscape has blown up in a way where you see it everywhere now, and it’s really expected.”

The financial impact is so valuable to the ACC that Phillips also admitted the conference has kicked the tires on potentially associating with a sports betting partner.

“We’ve looked at it from a little bit of a distance,” he told FOS. “But I think we have to be really serious, and we have to be diligent and thoughtful in any process there. But yeah, it’s like any category: You look at where you may be able to monetize your operation.”

While it’s not surprising to hear Phillips discuss college athletes as if they’re microchips or soda cans, it’s a good reminder for the next time someone complains about NIL and fair player compensation. Gambling might have made their lives miserable, but that’s secondary to the amount of money they can create for the people in charge.