The NFL has increased its gambling policy education and integrity monitoring efforts after a successful offseason.
There haven't been any players suspended for gambling violations in 13 months, and the league has taken more steps to keep that trend going.
In-person gambling policy education and training is mandatory for all players in 2024. The education and training, prepared in collaboration with the NFL Players Association, reviews the rules and reinforces integrity provisions in the policy, including the two key rules: Never bet on NFL games, and do not gamble while with the team in any capacity.
"We learned from last year when in-person education was optional, the benefits of presenting in-person, including increased engagement and awareness, the opportunity for players to ask questions," said Sabrina Perel, the NFL's chief compliance officer. "So for all 32 teams this year, the education was conducted at the team facility during minicamps or training camp."
The education and training was presented to the players by a member of the NFL's compliance team, the team's head of player engagement (often a former player) or by other former NFL players using the "train the trainer" approach. For example, Chiefs Hall of Fame guard Will Shields served in that role in Kansas City.
The six main rules for NFL players are:
- Never bet on the NFL: This includes other NFL events such as draft, combine, Pro Bowl and NFL Honors.
- Don't have someone bet for you: Do not ask family, friends or others to place a bet for you.
- Don't gamble (no bets on sports, casino or card games) at your team facility or stadium, while traveling for a road game or staying at a team hotel.
- Don't share team "inside information": Don't share information that hasn't been announced by the team.
- Don't enter a sportsbook during the NFL playing season.
- Don't play daily fantasy football.
Coaches, staff and personnel aren't permitted to bet on any sports.
The NFL suspended 10 players last offseason for gambling violations. Denver Broncos defensive end Eyioma Uwazurike, who received a one-year suspension on July 24, 2023, was the last player reinstated.
Educating players about gambling has been a top priority. NFL executive Jeffrey Miller said Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels and Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers received "multiple education training sessions" on the league's gambling policy after Nabers said on a podcast following the NFL draft that they'd bet each other $10,000 on which would win the offensive rookie of the year award.
To ensure the integrity of the game, an NFL integrity representative -- typically retired FBI/executive level police officers -- is assigned to each team. Their responsibilities include monitoring for suspicious activity on site on game days.
Genius Sports and IC360 continue to monitor every game and key NFL events for any betting activity that may indicate game manipulation or a leak of nonpublic information.
"The world has changed dramatically as it relates to sports betting, and it's incumbent on us maintaining the integrity of our game against those new challenges that have come up the last few years," said Miller, the NFL's executive vice president of communications, public affairs and policy.
The NFL also is continuing its commitment to impactful responsible gambling initiatives. The league has extended its partnership with the National Council on Problem Gambling with a three-year, $6.4 million grant.
"We have a very long history of supporting critical societal issues, and accommodating responsible gambling is an issue that we know is impacting people all across the country," said Anna Isaacson, the NFL's senior vice president of social responsibility. "NCPG are leaders in that space. They have been leaders for decades. They bring the responsible gambling world together. They bring state coalitions together. They bring other advocates together and are working to advance the field. And what we learned really quickly, about four years ago, was that this is an extremely underfunded field."
The league originally gave the NCPG a three-year, $6.2 million grant in October 2021. NCPG executive director Keith Whyte said the funding was used to strengthen the 1-800-Gambler national helpline, for agility grants to help prevent gambling addiction among middle school, high school and college students and communities disproportionately affected by problem gambling and an initiative aimed at sports bettors called ResponsiblePlay.org.
The grants focus on programs that minimize harm on a primary level -- those who have not yet gambled -- and on a secondary level -- those who have limited gambling experience.
"This partnership has been instrumental in advancing our mission of minimizing gambling-related harm," Whyte said.
Total contacts via calls on the national helpline, chat and text have increased 103.98% since 2020, according to data provided by the NCPG. Since its launch in 2021, ResponsiblePlay.org has received 753,000 new users.
"This is a great example of the way that the league can lean in and use its platform and reach to address an issue where there wasn't much interest before," Whyte said.
Copyright 2024 by The Associated Press
