NFL Alters Sports Betting Policy for Athletes

Sep 24, 2023; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Calvin Ridley (0) looks to catch a pass during the first half against the Houston Texans at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-USA TODAY SportsThe NFL today announced significant changes to its gambling policies for athletesA player found fixing a game will be banned from the NFL for lifeBetting on the NFL will be an indefinite suspension for a minimum of one year

The NFL has made a significant change to its sports betting policy and the message for league athletes is loud and clear.

Do not bet on the NFL.

The NFL today announced several changes to its sports betting policy, altering the amount of suspended games for players found betting at teams facilities or at work, and handing out potential lifetime bans for athletes who have been found fixing games.

Do Not Bet on Your Own Team

Numerous NFL reporters broke the news this afternoon that the NFL had altered its sports betting policies. Here are the most significant changes to the policy:

An athlete found betting on the NFL will receive an indefinite suspension for a minimum of one year. This becomes a minimum of two years if the athlete was found betting on their own team.Giving out inside information or tips will result in a one-year banThird party betting or proxy betting will result in a one-year banSuspensions for athletes betting on non-NFL games has been altered. An athlete found betting at work or at a team facility will receive a two-game suspension for a first offense, six games for a second offense, and a one-year suspension for a third offense. 

NFL and NFLPA are modifying its gambling policies. There now will be increased discipline for gambling on NFL games. Now a violation is one year, and two if a player bets on his own team.

Any game fixing will result in banishment.

Message from NFL-NFLPA: don’t bet on the NFL. pic.twitter.com/eCmEZoahBe

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 29, 2023

Betting on non-NFL sports from the workplace now will lead to this discipline:🏈First violation – two game suspension without pay🏈Second violation – six game suspension without pay🏈Third violation – suspension without pay for at least one year https://t.co/g6fnyFl8Lv

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 29, 2023

The new policy harshens penalties for athletes who bet on their own team. Under the previous policy, the punishment for betting on your own team was only one year, and now it’s two years. Current Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Calvin Ridley was suspended for the entire 2022-2023 season after he was found to be betting on the Atlanta Falcons while he was still with the team.

Under the new policy Ridley would have faced a two-year suspension.

NFL Players Reinstated

The changes to the NFL policy have actually led to two suspended athletes being reinstated to the league today. Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams and Titans offensive tackle Nick Petit-Frere have both been reinstated into the league. They had each served a four game suspension so far this year after being suspended for participating in sports betting while at a team facility.

The NFL also announced it would be working with the NFLPA to develop a new program for players to educate them on the changes to the