Wait, What? In-Person NFL Gambling Education Is Just Now Mandatory For Players?
Editor’s note: The post has been updated to say “in-person” training is now mandatory.
It’s not often I do a complete double-take when it comes to gambling news, but I did one today.
Ahead of the 2024 season, the NFL announced some changes around gambling, including that in-person sports betting education for players would be mandatory for the first time.
Excuse me? It wasn’t mandatory before? It was optional? Even if there was mandatory virtual training before this (it’s not clear from NFL.com’s story or policy update if that was the case or exactly what that would have consisted of), that’s clearly not taking the subject seriously enough.
Closing Line Consulting
Need help with gambling content, navigating the North American gaming industry, communications/PR, or research and analysis? I have a consultancy to help in gaming and beyond. Reach out if you want to have a conversation. Learn more about CLC here.
Consider the following:
Commissioner Roger Goodell has repeatedly said the integrity of the game (including the impact of sports betting on integrity) is the league’s top priority.
A bunch of players have been suspended for gambling in recent years.
The NFL has partnerships with several sportsbooks and there are sportsbooks in some NFL stadiums.
Expanded sports betting in the US has existed for SIX NFL SEASONS.
Given all of the above, how was talking to players in person about the subject not mandatory? We knew there was training and education, but I guess we never heard nor asked if it was mandatory.
Given the history, it is extremely unserious that the NFL is just doing this now. Also, as we often have to remind folks, sports betting didn’t start six years ago. It’s been an issue that intersects with NFL players long before the fall of the federal ban on sports betting.
It’s a pretty good example of actions speak louder than words. The NFL since the dawn of time: SPORTS BETTING IS A HUGE ISSUE FOR INTEGRITY. The NFL today: We didn’t need mandatory in-person training for players until now.
It’s good that the NFL is making this training mandatory, let’s not lose sight of that. But does it go far enough? Do the players know what to do and who to go to if someone attempts to manipulate a game for betting purposes? Are all the staff inside the organizations getting the same or similar training?
Gambling education in US sports needs to mature, so let’s applaud the NFL while also realizing that this is well overdue and probably still not enough.
The Closing Line is a publication of +More Media.
For sponsorship inquiries, email dustin@closinglineconsulting.com or scott@andmore.media.
