The NFL has yet another controversy brewing, and it doesn't have to do with Tom Brady's deflated balls. This time the NFL is taking heat for its nonsensical stance on gambling, which has confounded industry observers, players, and fans alike.
The NFL policy is supposed to protect the integrity of the game and includes prohibitions against accepting bribes, failing to report offers of a bribe, throwing or fixing a game, and associating with gamblers or gambling activity. Violations of this policy can result in fines and suspensions.
The event that has put the NFL in the spotlight most recently was the National Fantasy Football Convention that had been scheduled to take place in Las Vegas at the Sands Expo, which happens to be sort of close to the Venetian casino's sportsbook, a place where gamblers can wager on a variety sporting events and competitions. Dallas Cowboys QB Tony Romo and over 100 other current NFL players, including Rob Gronkowski and Dez Bryant, were slated to attend before the NFL reminded Romo and company that "players and NFL personnel may not participate in promotional activities or other appearances in connection with events that are held at or sponsored by casinos," per ESPN.
Apparently, the convention center's proximity to the Venetian Sands Casino was the technicality which prompted the reminder to Romo that he and the other players could face suspension or fines if they went ahead with the scheduled event. The National Fantasy Football Convention wrote in a message to fans on their website, "We could not be more shocked and disappointed by the events of the past few days."
Romo was also disgruntled, telling Colin Cowherd via ESPN, "It's like when you're in high school and you don't get invited to the party, it makes you feel bad.... If they really wanted to just be a part of it, all they had to do was just call and ask. It would've been a lot easier, I think, than going about the process the way they did. We understand that these things come about and there's big money involved sometimes from the NFL's perspective. If we had known about the issue of the place or thought it was something that could've been an issue, the NFL could have told us right away."
Though the NFL's seems to take a tough stance on gambling to preserve the integrity of the game, there are ways they benefit from and support it. For example, they earn advertising revenue from DraftKings.com, whose slogan is "You can win a shipload of money." They also benefit tremendously from the general popularity of fantasy football, which is exempt from gambling law because it is considered a game of skill rather than luck.
Aside from accepting advertising revenue and feeding the popularity of fantasy football, the league supports gambling in more subtle ways. The UNLV Gaming Law Journal suggested that teams are required to report injuries not so much to protect the players, but to provide accurate information to gamblers. Gambling has also contributed to the NFL's popularity and profitability since gamblers who bet on games are loyal viewers who watch all teams, not just the ones they are fans of. The UNLV Gaming Law Journal went so far as to call the NFL a "quasi-partner with the sports betting industry," called its stance on gambling "contradictory," and described its relationship with the sports betting industry "mutually beneficial."
So, back to Tony Romo and the National Fantasy Football Convention: The NFL's rules related to players involvement in gambling-related activities are designed to protect the integrity of the game. How does their relationship with the sports betting industry compromise the game less than Tony Romo and friends participating in a fantasy football at a convention center that happened to be too close to a casino.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal summed it up best: Hypocrisy, thy name is Roger Goodell.