The NFL sent a memo to teams reminding them of its efforts to limit prop bets amid rising gambling controversies in other sports. The league prohibits certain types of wagers to avoid integrity issues seen in MLB and NBA.
As legalized sports gambling continues to impact professional and collegiate athletics, the National Football League issued a memo on Thursday to its teams, highlighting ongoing work with decision makers to limit -- and where possible prohibit altogether -- prop bets in the NFL. According to the memo obtained by CBS Sports, the league has always banned specific props through its sports betting partners, categorized into four prohibited areas: inherently objectionable, officiating-related, determinable by one person in one play, and pre-determined.
The latter two categories have sparked controversies in other leagues. In MLB, two Cleveland Guardians pitchers were indicted this week on conspiracy charges for allegedly coordinating specific pitch types with bettors. Last month, federal investigators arrested individuals linked to the NBA for game rigging, with Hall of Fame player and Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups implicated in an indictment for allegedly sitting star players and informing a bettor beforehand.
The NFL also sent a reminder to all players this week regarding prop bets, noting that fast-rising prediction markets constitute prohibited gambling activity. Examples of banned props include a kicker missing a field goal attempt, a quarterback's first pass being incomplete, whether a quarterback will start, or if a team's first play from scrimmage is a run or pass. However, cumulative stat bets, such as a quarterback passing for over 300 yards in a game, remain allowed.
League sources indicate not all prop bets are eliminated, but the NFL's partners cover about 98 percent of the legal sports betting market. The league has avoided major gambling crises, with no player suspensions for violations since 2023, attributed to increased player education.
Players have voiced concerns about negativity from betting. New York Giants kicker Graham Gano shared experiences of vitriol, stating, "I hear everyone else's frustration -- media, fans. Shoot, ever since sports betting started happening, I get people telling me to kill myself every week. 'Cause I'll hit a kick that loses them money. I'll miss a kick and it loses them money. It was the other day that someone told me to get cancer and die. I mean, that stuff is part of it."