The NCAA currently does not allow championship events to take place in states where gambling is legal, which is why Las Vegas -- the city that hosts the conference tournaments for the Pac-12, the Mountain West, the WCC and the WAC -- does not get NCAA tournament games.
But on Wednesday, NCAA president Mark Emmert said that there will be a “robust conversation” about changing that mandate, adding that the Board of Governors “has expressed a willingness to review it and think about it and see if it makes sense or not.”
Currently, there is a group trying to bring the entire Sweet 16 round of the Women’s NCAA tournament to Las Vegas while the Mountain West is spearheading a proposal that would change that legislation, which will be heard at an NCAA convention next month, according to CBS Sports.
Emmert also said that Daily Fantasy companies Draft Kings and Fanduel will not be allowed to advertise during the NCAA tournament. Last month, Marquette won a tournament that included LSU, N.C. State and Arizona State at the Barclays Center named the Fanduel Legends Classic.
“Yeah it does [bother me],” Emmert said. “Here we’ve got rules that say if a student participates in this activity, he’ll be suspended and -- oh, by the way -- we’re advertising it. That sends a completely wrong message.”