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In recent years, NFL players such as Josh Shaw, Calvin Ridley, Quintez Cephus, C.J. Moore, Shaka Toney, Jameson Williams, Stanley Berryhill, Isaiah Rodgers Sr, Rashod Berry, Demetrius Taylor, Nicholas Petit-Frere, and Eyioma Uwazurike have been suspended due to breaking the NFL’s gambling rules.
Now that the NFL is embracing sports gambling more and more with each passing season, however, some NFL players believe the rules need to be changed to reflect the modern times we’re living in.
Bill King of Sports Business Journal spoke to numerous players about the issue, with many of them indicating they believe the league should lighten up its gambling rules.
“I feel like the rules are outdated,” Falcons veteran defensive end Calais Campbell said. “There was a time where it made sense, but now with technology and being able to bet on baseball or basketball on your phone, I don’t understand why just because I’m in a locker room or on a Wednesday or whatever, that I can’t pick up my phone and [bet].”
Free agent safety Michael Thomas, who last played for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2023, made similar comments, saying that if the fans don’t have a problem with it, why should the league?
“Even our fans don’t see us betting on another sport that’s not the NFL as threatening the integrity of the game,” Thomas said. “So it’s just trying to make more changes that make sense. That’s common sense. And moving forward, I think that’s what we’re just trying to do.”
The NFL — which now has sportsbooks inside some of its stadiums across the country — has official gambling partnerships with multiple sportsbooks, including MGM, Caesars, FanDuel, and DraftKings.
The most recent Super Bowl between the Chiefs and 49ers is evidence of just how much sports betting has grown, as a record $185 million was wagered in Nevada alone on Super Bowl 58.