After the NFL handed down an indefinite suspension to Denver Broncos defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike last summer, coach Sean Payton blasted the (lack of) clarity in the league’s gambling policy.
“[T]hat eight-page handout we received [from the NFL] was more confusing after I read it than it was before I looked at it,” Payton said in 2023.
Perhaps the NFL’s new language will be an improvement. Last week, the league announced their summary of “six main rules” for players ahead of the 2024 season. Here they are:
- NEVER bet on the NFL: Includes other NFL events such as Draft, Combine, Pro Bowl, & 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/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 team.
- Don’t enter a sportsbook during the NFL playing season.
- Don’t play daily fantasy football.
There’s an even stricter policy for non-players in the NFL: “Additional Rule Applicable ONLY to Coaches, Staff, and Personnel – Do NOT Bet on Any Sports!”
The league also announced that in-person gambling policy education and training will be mandatory for all players in 2024.
Uwazurike was suspended last year after he gambled on NFL games, including Broncos games. His suspension was lifted earlier this month. With the league’s gambling policy now clarified, players shouldn’t have any excuses going forward.
