Amid growing concern about gambling addiction, the NFL has beefed up its in-house technology and security measures, partnered with sportsbook operators and integrity firms to give it visibility into bets and where they’re made. And it hasn’t always liked what it sees.
While the NFL’s policy is to prohibit betting on its games, individual teams might have their own policies outlined in player contracts or team-specific agreements. The NHL, for example, has a clear rule in its collective bargaining agreement that states: “Gambling on any NHL game is prohibited. This prohibition applies to any person – player, coach, manager or other league employee – who is working for a team or the league. The prohibition includes wagers placed in any location where the team or its players are playing an official NHL game, whether it is at a team’s facility, a sportsbook or on the road.” Players also aren’t allowed to place bets on non-NHL events when they’re in their own home cities. The NBA also has a similar rule that prohibits betting on its games by anyone associated with a team or the league. The exception is that in-state college teams are off limits unless they’re participating in a tournament like March Madness or the four-team College Football Playoff.