In response to the gambling scandal that has rocked the NBA, the NFL’s Management Council sent a memo on Friday to team executives, head coaches and other club personnel urging them to remind players about the NFL’s Gambling Policy.
The memo, obtained by USA TODAY Sports, reiterates that players can’t bet on NFL games – nor participate in or facilitate any form of illegal gambling, whether it involves sports, casino games or otherwise.
The directive also underscores that players must not attempt to fix any element of an NFL game or share any confidential, non-public information regarding any NFL game, player or event with any third-party entity.
In other words, although no one associated with the NFL has been linked to the developments this week, the league is reinforcing the risks that have come to light with the two federal indictments that allege illegal gambling conspiracies involving an NBA player, coach and former players.
“These developments underscore the risks that all sports are facing in the current environment and serve as a reminder to adhere strictly to the NFL Gambling Policy,” the memo stated.
The league’s policy was attached to the memo.
It was also reiterated that players must report any gambling debt of $10,000 or more, “and should be especially mindful that large gambling debts may make them vulnerable to bad actors seeking to exploit them.”
It’s also a violation of the policy to not report any instances where players are approached about fixing any games or performance within games.
This follows a previous reminder this season that players are prohibited from participating in prediction markets, including Kalashi, Polymarket and Crypto.com, and that players cannot invest in non-publicly traded companies offering prediction markets.
A Sept. 23 memo from Sabrina Perel, an NFL vice president and chief compliance officer, also reiterated that players looking to invest in a publicly traded company offering prediction markets must contact the league office before making an investment.
The memo sent Friday did not include any new policies, but given the aftershocks of the case involving the NBA made for an opportune time to send a message.