The relationship between the NFL and sports betting is ever-evolving, and accordingly, so is the NFL Gambling Policy. The policy is regularly reviewed with personnel and players, leading to adjustments of the policy over time.
With numerous high-profile cases over the last few months, including Detroit Lions WR Jameson Williams and Indianapolis Colts CB Isaiah Rodgers, and more players potentially set to be suspended according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, let’s examine the current guidelines that make up the NFL Gambling Policy.
What Is the NFL’s Gambling Policy?
When it comes to NFL personnel and games, the policy is simple — it is a no-go area. All betting on NFL games is prohibited for NFL personnel, with no excuses. The policy states that “All NFL Personnel are prohibited from placing, soliciting, or facilitating any bet, whether directly or indirectly through a third-party, on any NFL game, practice or other event.
This includes betting on game outcome, statistics, score, performance of any individual participant, or any other kind of ‘proposition bet’ on which wagering is offered.”
As part of that, it is stated that “NFL Personnel shall not throw or fix any NFL game or in any way influence its outcome, statistics, or score; or otherwise manipulate or attempt to manipulate any other aspect of any NFL game for a gambling-related purpose.”
They go on to state that this includes “accepting a bribe, or otherwise agreeing to throw, fix or influence a game, as well as failing to report any bribe, offer, or attempt to do so.”
There are further sections of the NFL Gambling Policy that include the mention of giving their best effort, as well as a section covering the provision of providing non-public or confidential information. This includes the passing of that information through a third party.
Further parts of the policy cover NFL players not having an association with “persons generally known to be professional, problem, and/or sports gamblers, in a manner that discredits the reputation of the NFL, NFL Players or the game.”
There is also a provision with regard to players accepting gifts or services from a casino or other gambling-related establishments. These must not exceed $250, according to the most recent publicly available version of the policy.
The NFL summarized its six key rules for players in terms of their gambling policy:
- Don’t bet on the NFL.
- Don’t gamble at your team facility while traveling for a road game or staying at a team hotel.
- Don’t have someone bet for you.
- Don’t share team “inside information.”
- Don’t enter a sportsbook during the NFL playing season.
- Don’t play daily fantasy football (DFS).
Can NFL Players Bet on Other Sports?
Where things get a little more cloudy is when it comes to betting on other sports. The most recent version of the policy allows NFL players to bet on other sports than the NFL. However, NFL personnel are not allowed the same level of freedom and are not allowed to participate in any sports betting.
Additionally, the policy states that players must not bet on other sports while inside an NFL facility. Players are allowed to play cards or other casino-type games as long as they are not wagering anything of value during those games.
Which NFL Players Have Been Suspended for Violating the Gambling Policy?
The suspension of Jameson Williams fell under the “betting inside an NFL facility” clause of the NFL Gambling Policy. That is considered to be a far less serious breach of the rules than betting on NFL games themselves. Therefore, he received a six-game suspension, as opposed to the “indefinite” suspensions handed down to the likes of Calvin Ridley, Quintez Cephus, C.J. Moore, and Shaka Toney.
Williams will be suspended for the first six games of the Detroit Lions’ 2023 season. However, he is eligible to play in preseason games, as well as partake in training camp and other team activities during the offseason.
The latest incident of a player falling foul of the NFL Gambling Policy occurred with Colts CB Isaiah Rodgers. In a report by Matt Rybaltowski of SportsHandle, he stated that a Colts player is under investigation for “pervasive” wagering activities. Reportedly some of those wagers were placed on games involving Indianapolis. ESPN later reported that Rodgers was the player in question.
Rodgers released a statement in which he acknowledged the incident, “I know I have made mistakes and I am willing to do whatever it takes to repair the situation.” However, Rodgers did not admit to placing wagers on Colts games.
This situation will be an intriguing one for the league’s policy, given the danger that a player potentially betting on his own team’s games could cause to the integrity of the NFL.