Betting Investigation Into NFL Scout Expands to Massachusetts

The investigation into a former scout for the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals has expanded into its second state. 

The Missouri Gaming Commission has launched an investigation into the team’s former Director of College Scouting, Ryan Gold. The league suspended the former NFL scout in July amid an investigation by Arizona’s Department of Gaming. 

According to the MGC and ADG, suspicious betting activity involving the team’s third overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. DraftKings found that the team’s selection of Jeremiyah Love drew more wagers and money than any other player on the board.

The regulators are also looking into a series of $10 parlays placed by people connected to Gold. According to his attorney, the scout’s family has a tradition of placing weekly $10 parlays on NFL and college football games. He denies providing any information to help them with these wagers, and says the bets were placed on his behalf. 

"There is absolutely zero substance to the claims made against Ryan Gold," Gold’s attorney Michael Caspino told ESPN. "The NFL's investigation is so deeply flawed and so wrong. He will be vindicated next month in our appeal."

While he works in Arizona, Gold grew up and went to college in Massachusetts. The MGC's investigation signals its belief that the former NFL employee may have also violated gambling laws of the Massachusetts sports betting market.

NFL Stands Firm on Gambling

Gold’s suspension isn’t the first time the NFL has dealt with illegal gambling this summer.

Back in June, the league announced it would not allow Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby to join it through a supplemental draft. This came after the former star was found to have placed hundreds of bets over his college career, including some involving his own team. As a result of the NFL’s decision, Sorsby will now be forced to forgo playing football in the US until the 2027 NFL Draft.

The league’s decision sent a strong message that it wouldn’t be a sanctuary for college players who violate the NCAA’s strict gambling rules. 

Unlike the MLB and NHL, the NFL has been hesitant to embrace sports prediction markets. While the emerging industry is growing fast, serious concerns remain about its ability to monitor for betting schemes. 

While regulated sports betting has been responsible for the league’s latest scandals, it has also helped to uncover them. Regulators, sportsbooks, and the NFL have seen their ability to detect scandals grow rapidly over the years, helping protect the integrity of the league’s on-field product.