According to a report from Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk report on Wednesday morning, one NFL player lost $8 million through gambling in 2022.
This adds to a number of reports in recent weeks and months regarding investigations into violations of the NFL's gambling policy. A group of Detroit Lions players were found to have violated the league's policy earlier in the year, and at the moment an investigation is ongoing into possible violations by Colts player Isaiah Rodgers.
Today's report does not go much further than the bare information regarding the $8 million, but it does highlight some of the concerns regarding the NFL's gambling policy as well as more general concerns regarding the nature of wagering.
While no information is offered regarding what the player was wagering on, whether it be sports, casino games or anything else, Florio's report proceeds with the assumption that this has to do with sports betting.
Florio notes that all non-players employed in the NFL are prohibited from betting on the league's games, though players themselves are allowed to bet on non-NFL events. It's a curious rule that begs the question, why is this the case?
In the piece, a theory from Chris Simms is offered that the league is OK with sportsbooks making money off of young adults with cash to burn.
Florio goes on to note that the house always wins in sports betting, and this is why that could be the case. Although it's not necessarily correct that the house wins 100% of the time, the reality is that the number is very close to 100% over the long term.
There are bettors who are capable of winning over the long term, but recreational sportsbooks in the U.S. are able to limit winning bettors and reduce the operators' liability.
This only adds to the likelihood that in the end, the house will win.
Responsible gaming is becoming more and more of an important topic as legal sports betting grows in the U.S. and beyond. Sports betting is an activity that can have dangerous consequences if done improperly, and instilling responsible habits with the activity is crucial to long-term enjoyment.
For a detailed list of responsible gaming advice and information, please check out our responsible gaming hub.
