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The National Football League is hosting its first Super Bowl in America’s gambling capital, but commissioner Roger Goodell has reminded team officials that they are not allowed to participate in the game. There is.
Goodell sent a memo Thursday ahead of Super Bowl 58 in Las Vegas, telling all team staff that league policy prohibits sports betting or participation in sportsbooks in Las Vegas. Employees of the participating Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers will be prohibited from playing even casino games until Super Bowl III concludes on February 11th.
“Super Bowl LVIII is a highly anticipated and thrilling event for our fans and viewers. As fans around the world tune in to the game and related events, we are all committed to protecting the integrity of We have to do our part.” [of] Please play our game and avoid even the appearance of inappropriate conduct,” Goodell said in a memo obtained by CNBC.
The league issued this guidance as professional sports moves into a new world of legalized sports gambling. Gambling is now legal in 38 states, and more than $300 billion has been wagered since laws restricting gambling were repealed in 2018, according to the American Gaming Association.
Super Bowl 58 in Las Vegas is expected to be the highest stakes game in history for the NFL championship. Professional sports leagues once frowned upon gambling, but now embrace it as a burgeoning source of revenue.
GeoComply, which tracks sports betting by location, announced a 24% increase in gambling transactions since the NFL playoffs began compared to the same period last year.
The NFL memo includes a list of rules that apply to all team owners, executives, coaches, football personnel, medical personnel and administrative staff. Individual, more stringent restrictions apply to players. Under the league’s adjusted gambling policy announced in September, players caught gambling on their team or other games could face a one- to two-year suspension or an indefinite suspension.
More than a dozen players were suspended for violating league rules. The NFL is currently investigating 2023 sixth-round draft pick Keishon Boutte for allegedly placing 8,900 bets over a 13-month period while under the legal gambling age while attending Louisiana State University. There is.
A league memo sent Thursday reminded officials to never bet on the NFL or any other sport.
Staff must also strictly avoid sportsbooks while at Super Bowl venues, even for food and drinks. To prevent employees from entering its facilities, the league is keeping teams in hotels about 30 minutes from the Las Vegas Strip.
As with slots, the rules for casino, card, and table games are a little more relaxed.
Non-participating team personnel in Las Vegas are allowed to play casino games and slots on their personal time and after business hours. However, Chiefs and 49ers employees will not be allowed to play until after the Super Bowl.
NFL administrative staff are prohibited from gambling in any way at any time, according to the memo.
The league also reminded officials to never share “inside information” about games, teams or players and to report any requests for that data.
Correction: This article has been updated to reflect that suspensions for players for gambling in the NFL start from one to two years.
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