Being one of the most popular sports leagues on a worldwide level, the NFL is one of gamblers’ favorite events to bet on. To prevent misuse and set policies that the personnel must abide by, the league has created its own gambling policy.
The policy is set in place to ensure fair gambling. Otherwise, people who are directly involved with the teams and events can bet with an advantage over other bettors. Before you hop on to a good casino or sportsbook and place your bets, you should learn how this policy protects you. Next, it is vital to select a trusted gambling website, such as the ones found on this list by icasinoreviews.info, all so you can bet safely and enjoy all the perks that come with playing on the top casino websites.
Now without any further ado, let’s dig into the NFL gambling policy and what it includes.
About the NFL Gambling Policy
The NFL gambling policy applies to the leagues’ personnel and games and tells us what these people can or cannot do. At an annual meeting, the Competition Committee presents a yearly report to the 32 owners of the league. The owners then vote on proposed changes of rules or any new rules that can be adopted.
The commission that works on the gambling policy was created in 1968 after the announcement that the AFL and NFL would merge before the start of the 1970 season. At the end of each season, the NFL clubs answer questions about player protection, technology, officiating, and more. The committee also holds a meeting to prepare the items on the agenda.
For a rule to be adopted or revised, it must have the support of 75% of the league owners i.e. get 24 Yes votes out of a total of 32 clubs that make the NFL.
NFL Gambling Policy for the Personnel
Just like the previous versions, the NFL gambling policy 2024 is pretty clear – betting on NFL games is prohibited for NFL personnel, and this rule comes without excuses. Here is what the policy states:
“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 the outcome of the game, whether it is before the start of the match or live betting while the game is being played. NFL personnel also cannot bet on statistics, scores, players’ performance, or any kind of bet you’ll see in sportsbooks.
The policy has a strict restriction on throwing or fixing games, too. NFL personnel are strictly forbidden from manipulating any aspect of any NFL games for gambling purposes. They are also forbidden from accepting bribes to influence a game, even if they aren’t the ones to place the actual bets.
Another popular rule is about the gifts or services personnel can accept from gambling-related establishments like casinos. According to the latest version, this cannot exceed $250.
The NFL has six key rules that all personnel must follow:
- Do not bet on NFL events
- Don’t gamble at your team facility
- Don’t share inside information about NFL teams
- Don’t ask someone else to bet for you
- Do not create a sportsbook account or enter one during the playing season of the NFL
- Don’t play daily fantasy football
Interestingly, the same rules do not apply to NFL players. While NFL players cannot bet on events in the league, they can bet on other sports than the NFL. Personnel, on the other hand, are not allowed to participate in any form of sports betting.
The policy for players says that they cannot bet on any sports while they are inside an NFL facility. If they do this, the punishments can vary depending on how many times they are caught. For instance, one violation means a two-game suspension without pay, but a third violation means a yearly suspension without pay.
Violating the NFL Gambling Policy
Let’s say that someone violates the policy – intentionally or unintentionally. The punishments for such offenses are previously agreed on, too.
If NFL personnel bet on NFL football, the punishment is an indefinite suspension that’s a minimum of one or two years.
If the person attempts to fix a game or actually does it, this gets them permanently banned from the NFL. In case of inside information or tipping third parties, the punishment is indefinite suspension with a minimum of one year. The same punishment applies to cases of proxy or third-party betting i.e. if they ask someone else to place bets for them.
Final Thoughts
The base rules of the gambling policy remain the same, but every year when the NFL policy is reviewed and changed, there are some new rules in place that serve to prevent personnel and players from using their participation in the league to make additional profits and get an advantage over other players.
