NFL Calls on Veterans to Help Educate Youngsters About Gambling Policies

The National Football League (NFL) believes in leading by example, with the organization now asking veterans to step in and help educate younger athletes on what the do’s and don’ts of gambling are.

The NFL has one of the strictest gambling policies among the professional leagues, but the league also believes that raising awareness is the key to preventing players from falling into bad habits or making honest mistakes.

NFL’s Old Timers Tell Youngsters How to Steer Clear of Harm

Although the league has not had a major scandal such as the NBA in comparative terms, and the banning of Jontay Porter, the organization has had its fair share of such incidents, including 15 players who have been suspended since 1963, when the NFL began tracking such offenses.

 NFL VP Compliance Officer Sabrina Perel has hailed the success of the education initiative, arguing that it has seen an organizational interest in it. About 20 players are participating all the time, and there is no lack of volunteers, Perel said.  

Many of the older players are actually experienced and understand gambling temptation, as they have been around longer than their younger counterparts.

“I had terrific instances co-presenting with a legend, and, without calling out anyone in particular, what was consistent across each session was that it was palpable. It was really palpable in the room that it was a very serious topic, and that the players leaned in to hear the legends’ story and the message,” Perel explained.

The NFL has secured the talents of Warrick Dunn, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Torry Holt, Chad Pennington, and Steven Jackson as those who have done the rounds, raising awareness among younger members of the league about gambling-related harm, match-fixing, and betting breaches.

Liberal Gambling Rules, But Compliance Is Strict

The NFL’s Gambling Rules state that no member associated with a team or the league may bet on NFL games, or bet at team or league facilities, share inside information, or engage in proxy betting, i.e., ask someone to gamble on their behalf.

This restriction applies to seemingly innocuous verticals such as daily fantasy sports as well. However, not all gambling is, in fact, prohibited.

Players are still allowed to bet on other sports that are not football, but they must comply with the league requirement to not engage in gambling on league or team facility grounds.