NFL chief Roger Goodell given food for thought after gambling protocol criticism
Atlanta Falcons star Calais Campbell isn't happy with the NFL's rules on betting and has made his feelings known.
NFL players must wait until the season ends to place any bets. This means even if they're in Las Vegas for Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday, they can't gamble until after the big game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers.
The NFL is strict about not letting players bet on their own sport because they know too much inside info. But Campbell doesn't get why they can't have a flutter on different sports when they don't have any sway over the outcome.
Goodell is clear in his 'No. 1 objective' as he said at his annual State of the League news conference: "Gambling and outside of gambling, the integrity of our game is critical.
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"And so we spend a lot of time focusing on that: educating, making sure that all of our personnel are aware of our gambling policies in this case or any other policy that can affect the integrity of our game. So, ultimately, that’s our primary job."
Gambling is a hot topic leading up to the Super Bowl. Despite the NFL's strict betting policy, they're hosting the final game in Las Vegas, a city known for its 60 major casinos. Campbell voiced his thoughts at the NFLPA press conference on Wednesday.
He said: "It's about protecting the integrity of the game, sure. But when it comes to an away trip and I'm on a flight or decide to go out for dinner and there's a basketball game playing and the guys want to bet on the basketball game, I don't see any harm in that.
"Pull out your phone, do a little $5 bet or something, where does it hurt anybody? I don't do that during the season at all because I know the risks, so I delete that stuff on my phone and wait until the season ends to download it back."
Calais Campbell thinks NFL players should be allowed to bet on other sports with no restrictions (No credit)While the NFL doesn't ban gambling on casino games, any form of wagering in either a team facility or during team-related travel is forbidden.
However, with the Super Bowl taking place in Las Vegas, it was announced on Wednesday morning that the Chiefs and 49ers would be permitted to gamble after Sunday's game following an agreement between the NFL and the NFLPA.
Campbell, a big NBA fan, is puzzled as to why he and his Falcons teammates can't place bets on a league they're not part of. It's tricky because many famous athletes have friends in various major sports leagues.
The rules might be looked at again in the future, but currently, any player who bets on their own team gets a two-year ban, and those who bet on any NFL game get at least a one-year ban.
If a player bets on non-NFL sports while at a team facility or during team-related travel, they'll get a two-game ban for their first offence, a six-game ban for their second, and at least a year for their third.
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story.
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