After a string of suspensions earlier this year, the NFL is making significant changes to its gambling policies.
The league increased penalties for players gambling on NFL games Friday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Now, players who place wagers on NFL games will be automatically suspended for one year. If a player bets on his own team, he will be suspended for two years. Any game-fixing for gambling purposes will lead to banishment.
While those penalties have been increased, the league reduced penalties for players who bet on non-NFL games at work. The first violation of non-NFL gambling will lead to a two-game suspension. The second violation will result in a six-game suspension, and a third will lead to a one-year suspension.
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
NFL players are allowed to place bets on non-NFL games outside of team facilities. The new policy was not collectively bargained with the NFL Players Association, according to the NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, but the NFLPA executive director raised issues with the old policy to commissioner Roger Goodell.
The changes will take place immediately. As a result, both Tennessee Titans offensive tackle Nick Petit-Frere and Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams will be reinstated Monday. Petit-Frere was suspended initially for six games for gambling on non-NFL games at team facilities, and Williams was suspended six games for betting on college football games at the team facility. Williams, a former No. 12 overall pick, said when he was suspended that he wasn’t aware of the policy.
Both Williams and Petit-Frere will have served four games of their six-game suspensions when they are reinstated. Under the new policy, the two would’ve been suspended for two games each for their violations.
The NFL suspended a group of players this summer for betting during the 2022 season. Former Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley was the first player to be suspended by the NFL since sports betting was legalized in 2018. He was suspended for a full year but has since been reinstated and is now on the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Gambling has been an issue at the college level this summer, too. Several Iowa and Iowa State athletes were charged with placing bets on their own games, placing bets on games at their respective schools or gambling underage. College athletes who place wagers on their own teams face a permanent loss of eligibility.