NFL sets out strict policy barring Super Bowl players from any kind of gambling in Las Vegas

As the Super Bowl draws closer, the National Football League (NFL) has laid out a set of new gambling rules for players who will make it to Super Bowl LVIII, set to take place at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

The NFL is implementing stricter policies that will only apply to the two teams playing in the big game and which stipulate that any player of a team that has made it to the Super Bowl is not allowed to gamble in Vegas, including both casino games and sports. The normal policy permits players to bet on sports other than the NFL when they are not at team or league facilities or on the road with their team.

As per a CBS report, the NFL outlined the new Super Bowl policy in a memo that was sent out in September and obtained by Front Office Sports. The above-stated rules will only apply to the two Super Bowl teams, but it will not be the case for the other players in the NFL. 

NFL players apart from those two teams playing in the Super Bowl will be allowed to gamble in Vegas, only that they cannot bet on the NFL at any time and will not be allowed to go into any sportsbook until the Super Bowl is over, unless they have to walk through one to access a separate area of the casino or hotel.

“While in Las Vegas, players participating in the Super Bowl are prohibited from engaging in any form of gambling, including casino games and betting on any sport,” NFL chief spokesman Brian McCarthy confirmed to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Up to 2-year suspension for players breaching the rules

Under the new policy, if any player gets caught betting on the NFL, he will face at least a one-year suspension. In case the player bets on his own team, he will face a two-year suspension. 

Any player who bets on sports while at a team facility or taking part in team travel will face a two-game suspension. For example, a player is allowed to bet on college basketball as long as he does it on his own time and away from the team. If he places the bet from a team facility, he will be facing a two-game suspension.

The NFL has handed out more than 10 gambling suspensions since 2018. The Super Bowl will kick off at 6:30 PM ET on February 11 on CBS and streaming on Paramount+ with the 49ers or Lions playing the Chiefs or Ravens.