NFL Announces New Changes to Gambling Policy

The NFL has announced new additions to its gambling policy to help stop the uptick in scandals that have been seen over the last few years. The news comes just one week after the major pro sports leagues and the NCAA received a letter from Congress asking them to detail their plans to curb gambling scandals. 

While we have seen sports betting scandals rise across sports, the NFL’s popularity has drawn more attention to the issues within their league. They have had several high-profile betting scandals, including a current one involving Colts’ cornerback Isaiah Rodgers. We have seen the NFL deal out heavy punishments for those caught, but they are now turning their attention to educating players early in their careers.

“The world has changed over the last few years,” NFL Executive Vice President Jeff Miller said during a press conference on Tuesday. “ The availability of our phones and [with] a couple of touches, and all of a sudden, you can place a bet on many different things was not available a few years ago and is available now.”

What the New Policy Includes

Starting today, all rookies will be required to attend a series of meetings to educate them on the league's policy around sports betting. The league will also send officials to each team to review the policy and reinforce the importance of adhering to it.

The league will emphasize six critical rules when meeting with players across the league. Here is a list of these rules:

1. Don’t bet on the NFL
2. Don’t place bets from your team facility or while traveling for a game
3. Don’t have someone else place bets for you
4. Don’t share any “inside information” regarding your team or the rest of the league
5. Don’t enter a retail sportsbook during the NFL season
6. Don’t participate in daily fantasy football leagues

What to Expect Going Forward

While education and prevention are the NFL’s primary goals, they will continue to work to uncover any betting scandals within the league. That includes partnering with sportsbooks that can share information on bets placed by league personnel. They will also alert the league when their geo-location software identifies bets placed from within team facilities.

It will take time to see how effective these new measures will be, but it is clear that the NFL has risen to the challenge set forward by Congress.