NFL Asks for Federal Aid in Battle Against Illegal Sports Gambling
The NFL is getting used to legal sports betting, as the regulated gambling industry has positively impacted the professional football league.
The outcome is increased fan engagement, higher television ratings and online streaming viewership, and extra income via enhanced marketing strategies and more lucrative broadcast deals.
However, the league, who was staunchly against attempts to repeal the federal law limiting such gambling to Nevada until the Supreme Court did so in May 2018, still worries about illegal, underground sports betting organizations.
Congresswoman Dina Titus (D-Nevada), co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Gaming Caucus in Washington, DC, reached out to the heads of the "big four" pro sports leagues and the NCAA in June, asking that they share their policies on sports betting and how they handle punishing players and staff found to be in violation of the rules.
Titus believes that since sports betting is progressively spreading across the US and the American public is constantly exposed to betting ads, the leagues must make sure fans trust that the games are untainted by outside influence.
NFL Shifts Focus
Following the Congressional Gaming Caucus' petition - requesting the NFL to share its internal documents on how the organization safeguards its games and players from rogue sports betting forces - NFL executives responded by stating that they've been striving for decades to maintain the integrity of the game.
NFL Vice President of Public Policy and Government Affairs, Jonathan Nabavi, said: "There is no higher principle at the NFL than safeguarding the integrity of the game. Our efforts to uphold game integrity have been going on for years, and our commitment hasn't faded since the Supreme Court's decision."
Remarkably, Nabavi then shifted the conversation elsewhere, commenting that the SCOTUS decision has underlined the importance of their work against game corruption even more. The NFL's response then requested Congress to divert attention and resources to cracking down on illegal sports betting markets.
"We believe that more attention and resources are needed from lawmakers and law enforcement to handle the illicit sports betting market. They still hold a lot of power," Nabavi proclaimed.
Titus wasn't happy with this response, commenting that the NFL didn't answer the questions and instead steered the focus towards illegal sports betting in general.
In a statement, she expressed her disappointment that "the NFL declined to respond to our query and instead gravitated toward the general issue of illegal sports betting."
"It raises doubts about what they're attempting to conceal," the congresswoman added.
NFL Betting Infractions on the Rise
Titus' request comes after the NFL has recently handed down multiple suspensions to players who've allegedly breached the league's betting rules.
The NFL's public betting policy bans players and staff directly associated with the organization from wagering on NFL matches. Additionally, those associated with the league must abstain from betting on NFL games even if they're not on a team at the moment.
However, coaches, as reported by PFT founder Mike Florio in June, appear to be allowed to bet on NFL matches while not being part of one of the league's 32 teams.
NFL: Keeping It Under Wraps
Titus wants to be included in the NFL's actions to protect the integrity of its games. She's seeking assurance that no external influences are impacting the games, especially as sports betting becomes more pervasive across the US and the public is bombarded with sports betting ads.
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Source: www.casino.org
