Did the NCAA really partner with a gambling site?

STAR. Titing Manalili (13) in action for the Letran Knights in the NCAA Season 102 men's basketball tournament.

NCAA Philippines Facebook page

The NCAA denies entering into a partnership with PlayTime Entertainment, an online gambling platform, yet the brand appeared multiple times during the league's opening-day broadcast

AT A GLANCE

• The NCAA clarified that there is no partnership with PlayTime Entertainment, despite initial promotions suggesting otherwise.
• PlayTime Entertainment's branding was featured during NCAA broadcasts, leading to confusion and criticism, especially regarding gambling's influence on a student audience.
• An investigation is underway to determine how PlayTime Entertainment was promoted, as the NCAA management committee had previously rejected their sponsorship proposal.

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There’s no existing partnership between the NCAA and online gambling platform PlayTime Entertainment.

The NCAA made this clarification after it drew flak following PlayTime Entertainment’s supposed entry as the league’s “official entertainment partner” and “season presenter” for Season 102.

“For the avoidance of doubt, no agreement has been executed and no signing of any kind has taken place between the NCAA and PlayTime Entertainment,” the NCAA management committee said in a statement released on Wednesday, September 16. 

“Accordingly, any statement or representation suggesting that PlayTime Entertainment has entered into such a partnership with the NCAA is inaccurate and does not reflect any agreement authorized or entered into by the NCAA.” 

If so, then what is all the fuss about? 

PlayTime Entertainment materials were visibly featured in the opening-day broadcast on Sunday, September 13, its logo shown multiple times throughout the double-header, which saw St. Benilde stun defending champion San Beda, and Letran beat Perpetual.

NCAA broadcaster Cignal TV also aired a speech by PlayTime Entertainment spokesperson Adela Mae Marshall twice: first before the St. Benilde-San Beda clash, when she delivered her statement live, and again as a replay at halftime of the Letran-Perpetual duel.

“Today marks an important milestone for Playtime Entertainment as we enter a new space for sports and become part of one of the country’s most prestigious sports leagues. We’re truly honored to be a part of the NCAA Season 102 as we believe that sports is a powerful space that brings people together,” said Marshall. 

“This partnership is very significant to us because we believe that the power of sports is to create connections and shared experiences.”

But that Letran-Perpetual match ended up being the last time PlayTime Entertainment promotions appeared in the NCAA as the ensuing games no longer featured them.

PlayTime Entertainment has also removed most of its social media posts relating to the NCAA.

“The NCAA remains committed to ensuring that all official partnerships and engagements relating to the league are communicated accurately and through the appropriate channels,” the league said.

So what happened?

According to an NCAA source, league officials were left surprised to see PlayTime Entertainment promoted during the broadcast since the management committee rejected its entry.

While not all of the 10 member schools opposed PlayTime Entertainment’s proposed sponsorship, the NCAA still turned it down because the management committee, the source said, prefers a unanimous vote on such matters.

As it turned out, a league-commissioned agency negotiated with PlayTime Entertainment and went directly to Cignal TV, which was unaware that the NCAA already rejected the proposal.

“Cignal, knowing that this outfit is commissioned by the NCAA, it entertained them,” the source said. “They were not aware.”

When asked if the agency went behind the NCAA’s back, the source believes it did. 

“It looks like that. We were not aware that something like this was happening,” the source said. 

The NCAA has launched an investigation and has reached out to both the agency and PlayTime Entertainment.

“What could happen is that they could be terminated,” the source said about the agency. “Because bottom line, we have no idea why that happened.” 

It did not take long for the promotion of a gambling site in a varsity league to raise eyebrows, given that collegiate leagues like the NCAA caters to students, many of whom are below the legal gambling age. In the Philippines, only individuals who are at least 21 years old are legally permitted to gamble.

But it’s not the first time a sports event drew criticism over gambling matters as the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) faced scrutiny over the appearance of 1xBet, an online gambling brand not registered in the Philippines, as a sponsor of the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship, which the country hosted.

The issue reached the Senate, with Senator Erwin Tulfo strongly blasting the PNVF not only for 1xBet’s involvement but also for high ticket prices of the global showdown.

Former PNVF president Ramon “Tats” Suzara clarified that logos of 1xBet, which he said is an official partner of the FIVB, appeared only on global broadcast feeds and were excluded from the local broadcast. – Rappler.com