In preparation for perhaps the biggest sporting event of the year, the NFL has reinforced its hard-line stance on player behaviors for the Super Bowl in Las Vegas. Per multiple outlets, including USA Today, Front Office Sports, and the Washington Post, the NFL has reiterated its gambling policy regarding the big events in Sin City. As noted in those reports and per the NFL, “while in Las Vegas, players participating in the Super Bowl are prohibited from engaging in any form of gambling, including casino games and betting on any sport.” The NFL released this update to players in a September memo, per Front Office Sports. Moreover, players not playing in the Super Bowl are also expected to avoid wagering on any NFL game and aren’t allowed to enter sportsbooks until after the “big game” unless it’s necessary to go through a sportsbook that’s in their intended path in a casino.
For this article, SBS will be going over what to look for from the latest gaming news coming from Las Vegas and also more notes about Sin City gaming.
As noted in one article, while the “big game” has been held in states that have introduced legal sports betting since PASPA was overturned in 2018, members of each team and plenty of the league’s non-participants will flood The Strip and downtown areas of gambling’s mecca. Moreover, it will be nearly impossible for NFL players, coaches, staff members, and executives to avoid casinos. Per recent reports given the Super Bowl’s timing, betting on any NFL game by players employed by a team in the league is explicitly prohibited and comes with stiff penalties. The NFL policy included a minimum one-year suspension for wagering on an NFL game and a minimum two-year suspension for betting on that player’s team.
Also, the league has punishments for game fixing, attempted or factual, which comes with a lifetime ban. Moreover, providing inside information results in a minimum one-year suspension. Another report also specifies the NFL’s policy on non-league wagering inside a team facility or hotel changed in 2023 to a three-tiered status. The first violation results in a two-game suspension with the second bringing on six games lost and the third violation causing a one-year unpaid suspension.
As noted in other reports, with sports betting legal in 38 U.S. states, the NFL has and will likely continue having gambling-related incidents. Recently, New England Patriots wideout Kayshon Boutte was arrested last Thursday in Louisiana for participating in illegal underage gambling while at LSU. Per ESPN, Boutte allegedly used an alias to get around the age requirement for placing sports wagers in Louisiana, Moreover, the alias account believed to be used by Boutte placed more than 8,900, with at least 17 bets on NCAA football – including at least six involving LSU, per police reports.
Perhaps a more mainstream example is the case of Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Calvin Ridley. When he was with the Atlanta Falcons, Ridley was suspended for the entire 2022 season when he violated the policy of betting on NFL games. Moreover, as noted in one report, seven NFL players from four teams were suspended for the entire 2023 season for betting on league games. For example, as of this article’s writing, the Detroit Lions, who are playing against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game, had two of those players: Quintez Cephus and C.J. Moore. Moreover, two more Lions, Jameson William, and Stanley Berryhill, both received extended suspensions for betting on non-NFL games in 2023. However, both had their punishments reduced following the league’s policy change in September.As noted in the same article, Berryhill was released by Detroit last May while Williams will be suiting up against San Francisco in the conference title game.
This issue has long been a thorn in the league’s side ever since the 1960s. The NFL has been suspending players for gambling violations since the 1963 season as both Paul Hornung and Alex Karras were suspended for the 1963 season but eventually ended up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Moreover, as noted in a report from the AP last August, the NFL has ramped up efforts this past offseason to better educate players, especially rookies on where and when they can bet and what they can bet on. What is interesting is that since the dawn of the 2010’s, more NFL players have been suspended for gambling in general than they had been in decades prior.
Once you are all dialed in regarding the latest gaming news and information coming from Sin City, make sure to also tap into the wide variety of resources for you at SBS. Of course, for even more info on the topic at hand, our online Vegas sportsbooks guide has your back. Here you can find the latest news relating to betting updates in Las Vegas and all of Southern Nevada. Conversely, for those in need of boosting up their bets (and who isn’t), the best bonus betting sites rundown is an excellent resource where you can find a catalog of the latest and greatest welcome bonus offers. Finally, for those on the go, the best betting apps breakdown is another great guide for you to check out. On this page, you can learn more about prime mobile betting options available to you and how you can always stay on top of the action.
About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football in the Mountain West Conference, and basketball. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones.
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