No actions taken against NFL players who bet on Patrick Mahomes’ and Travis Kelce at ‘The Match’ despite rules stating otherwise
Players can only bet on sporting events outside the domain of the NFL
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Fans are confused about NFL's gambling guidelines (Image Credit: USA Today/ Dolphins Talk)
The recent bans on football players for betting on NFL matches have everyone talking. While there are clear guidelines for who gets the chop, many believe there are some discrepancies in the method.
It’s obvious that players can’t gamble on NFL matches or any NFL-related events either. However, there are no restrictions outside the NFL’s domain. So it’s no surprise that players were given the green light to bet on Patrick Mahomes‘ charity golf match.
During the match, players were allowed to bet on which side would win. Besides Mahomes, his Chiefs teammate Travis Kelce participated alongside NBA stars Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. The aim of the charity match was to raise funds for donations to the No Kid Hungry organization.
The Chiefs duo secured a memorable victory over the Golden State Warriors pair. After the event’s conclusion, Warner Bros. Discovery declared that $35 million had been raised. Furthermore, 27 million meals were distributed to Feeding America.
However, the question still remains: what are the NFL’s guidelines regarding betting and gambling for players and those associated with the league?
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What are NFL’s guidelines for gambling?
The NFL has clear guidelines in place for which sporting events NFL players are allowed to gamble. “All NFL Personnel are prohibited from placing, soliciting, or facilitating any bet,” the policy reads, “whether directly or indirectly through a third-party, on any NFL game, practice, or other event.”
Moreover, it clearly states that NFL players and personnel cannot bet on any “game outcome, statistic, or score.” The NFL restricts them from “manipulating or attempting to manipulate any other aspect of any NFL game” for any kind of gambling purpose. Besides that, no NFL personnel can “fix any NFL game or influence its outcome.”
Furthermore, it states that accepting any bribe and failing to report it to associated authorities will land them harsh penalties. It also states that players or any personnel should not share any “inside information” with gambling sites or brokers. Players should not participate in Daily Fantasy Football.
Apart from these players, they are barred from gambling in their respected team’s facilities while traveling or even staying in a hotel. Their policy clearly states that no player can force or hire someone else to bet for them.
However, the policy gets a bit cloudy when trying to specify the norms for NFL players and personnel to bet on sporting events other than football. While the players can gamble, any personnel associated with the NFL cannot. Moreover, the policy states that players should not bet while inside their team’s facilities.
The NFL, using the said guidelines, handed out bans to Calvin Ridley, Quintez Cephus, C.J. Moore, and a few others. It also proves why Mahomes and Kelce were spared.
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Ishan Misra
(3023 Articles Published)