NFL Alters Gambling Policy, Increasing Punishments for Betting on Games

The league suspended several players in the offseason for violating the previous policy.

The NFL has revised its policy in regard to gambling, making penalties more severe for players who bet on NFL games, the league announced Friday. Additionally, the punishments for betting on games in other leagues while in an NFL workplace will be alleviated as part of the agreement.

The new policy, which was agreed to by both the NFL and the players union, now calls for a one-year suspension for any player who bets on an NFL game and two years if the player bets on his own team’s game. If the league finds that a player fixed a game, they will be banned from the NFL for life.

On the flip side, a violation for betting on non-NFL games in the workplace will be just two games without pay moving forward, a penalty which increases to six games for a second violation and a year for a third.

The NFL altered its gambling policy following myriad player suspensions in the offseason :: Kirby Lee/USA Today network

The NFL suspended several players in the offseason for gambling, forcing most of those players to sit out the 2023 season. 

However, two players—Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams and Titans offensive lineman Nicholas Petit-Frere—only were suspended six games because they bet on other sports. Both Williams and Petit-Frere will be reinstated next week as part of the agreement, having already served a four-game suspension each.