The NFL Gambling policy is one of the trickiest sets of rules you can find in the sports world. Even the league’s own players have trouble understanding them, as Lions wideout James Williams admitted that he “wasn’t aware” of the actual rule that landed him in hot waters last year — slapped with a six-game suspension to be specific. It turned out to be even more intriguing when the Athletic reported that they had interviewed 5 NFL players about the Gambling Policy, and all of them failed to provide satisfactory answers — and one of the players was a decade-old veteran.
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It’s worth noting that the NFL has been revising its gambling policy for a while now. After a major crackdown last year, five players were suspended from the league, including Lions star Jameson Williams, who was later reinstated after the NFL and its Player Union agreed on new policies. So, it’s only right if we discuss the most-asked questions about betting around the football community.
Why Can’t NFL Players Bet?
For starters, NFL players can absolutely place a bet — just not on games within the league. There are also a few complications around player betting.
However, if you’re wondering why they cannot bet on NFL games, it’s because of the basic principles of “fairness of the sport” and the league’s “integrity”. If players were given the chance to bet on other games, and God forbid the games they were playing themselves — first off, it would no longer be deemed a sport, and the beloved and the history-rich league we know and love, would cease to exist.
Preserving the integrity of the game has always remained one of the main concerns of the NFL, and it continues to enforce career-ending consequences.
Can NFL Players Bet With Each Other?
If we take this rule literally, the answer should be even clearer. The NFL Gambling Policy states that anyone who is associated with the league can not gamble on NFL-related events.
However, since players are allowed to wager on other sports via legal sportsbooks (terms and conditions apply), it’s possible that two NFL athletes can discuss and place a bet. Noted, it’s been a cloudy area since last year’s indefinite bans.
Can NFL Players Bet on College Football?
Interestingly, yes! Since players are permitted to bet on sports other than the NFL, a player can engage in betting on College Football. However, in states where gambling is prohibited — Utah and Hawaii, for example — players can not place such bets. Most importantly, a player must not place his wager at the team facility or even during road games — the same violation that Berryhill and Jameson Williams committed last year.
This rule has since been tweaked and will result in a two-game suspension instead of six for a first violation. However, the player in question will be slapped with a six-game violation for a second offense and a minimum one-year suspension, potentially without pay, for a third offense.
Can NFL Players Bet on NBA Games?
If they can bet on College Football, it’s not anything different for the NBA, or even the MLB. However, whichever the league, players need to maintain using legal sportsbooks. They also need to place their wagers during their own time, which we have already established.
Interestingly, league personnel, including coaches, trainers, and officials, are prohibited from placing, soliciting, or facilitating bets even in other sports, whether it’s the NBA, MLB, or even the Olympics. They can, however, place bets on non-sports activities, but once again, during their own free time — never on the premises or while traveling during games.
Can NFL Players Bet on Themselves?
The answer is simply ‘No’. Players are not permitted to bet on themselves or use a third party to do so. Each player’s CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement) with the league or a franchise has a specific portion that highlights such betting rules, which they need to acknowledge before getting officially signed; and mentions the same rule.
These offenses will constitute a clear case of match-fixing, leading to an automatic permanent suspension from the league. The league hasn’t shied away from enforcing new rules, and as the Super Bowl LVIII inches closer, it was reported that the Super Bowl-bound players wouldn’t be allowed to even gamble in Sin City.
Can NFL Players Play Fantasy Football?
As it turns out, the NFL allows both its players and personnel to play Fantasy Football. However, their winnings must not exceed $250. Moreover, neither players nor personnel are allowed to make Daily Fantasy Sports bets.
Let’s conclude with the penalties — if an NFL player is caught betting on NFL Football, he will be slapped with an indefinite suspension — a minimum of one year. If it involves his own team, the suspension will be extended to two years.
Inside information and tipping will result in a minimum of a one-year suspension. Third-party or Proxy betting will also cost a player — one year.
We have already established that a player or any NFL personnel will face permanent banishment if he or she is caught with actual or attempt of game fixing. Placing bets on the workplace will vary with 2 games for the first offense, six games for the second, and a year for the third offense.
