NFL not investigating if Gronkowski cruise violated gambling policy
The NFL is not currently investigating whether Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski’s party cruise violated the league’s gambling policy, an NFL spokesman told Ben Volin of The Boston Globe.
Brian New of CBS 11 had reported earlier that an NFL attorney had said the league was investigating the cruise.
The potential violation was brought up by attorneys representing Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo in his lawsuit against the NFL, in which he claims the league unfairly applied the league gambling policy when it shut down Romo’s National Fantasy Football Convention last July.
A Texas judge ruled against Romo on Monday.
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Romo’s attorneys used Gronkowski’s cruise as an example of the league selectively applying its gambling policy in a petition filed in a Texas court last week, according to Pro Football Talk.
“NFL player Rob Gronkowski hosted a party cruise from Miami to the Bahamas on February 19-22, 2016. The four-day party took place on Norwegian Cruise Line, where Gronkowski’s fans and attendees can take full advantage of Norweigan’s famed ‘Casinos at Sea.’ Photos from the booze-cruise show fans gambling at the on-board casino. The NFL specifically knew about the party cruise and its ties to gambling for more than seven months leading up to the event; yet the NFL took no action to either discipline Rob Gronkowski or prevent the event from taking place.”
The NFL has argued that Romo’s event would have stood in violation of its gambling policy because it was to be held at a casino.
Romo is seeking more than $1 million in damages and will appeal Monday’s ruling.
