Illinois Gaming Board suspends 'derogatory' prop wagers following NFL request

The Illinois Gaming Control Board has temporarily suspended some NFL prop wagers after the league wrote to the regulator requesting changes. The letter lists ten betting markets the league has petitioned the Board to officially prohibit. 

In an October 24 order, IGB Administrator Marcus Fruchter temporarily suspended the impacted markets until the regulators can potentially meet and discuss formally prohibiting them from the betting catalog.

"Inherently objectionable bets represent markets or bets that are inherently derogatory, designed to be inflammatory or otherwise based on subject matter against public policy (e.g., player injuries, fan safety, misconduct). These markets often are not directly related to gameplay or can have a negative impact on the consumer and player involved," wrote NFL Vice President, of Public Policy and Government Affairs Jonathan Nabavi.

The list of markets included in the NFL letter is as follows:

1. Player injuries
2. Fan safety
3. Player misconduct
4. Penalties
5. Replay results
6. Officiating assignments
7. First play of the game
8. Roster or personnel decisions
9. Player to miss a field goal or extra point try
10. First pass to be incomplete
11. Any other wager that is pre-determined or 100% determinable by one person in one play

It should be noted that some of these markets, such as injuries, have never been available at regulated U.S. sportsbooks. Others were taken off the board ahead of last weekend’s slate of NFL games. For example, whether or not a kickoff would result in a touchback is no longer available as a bet in the state. 

In his letter, Nabavi noted that more than 10 states proactively eliminated these betting categories in their regulations, including Massachusetts, Michigan, and Ohio. Nabavi said the prohibition of these "harmful and objectionable" markets helps with game integrity.

"Prohibiting these wagers altogether would complement NFL policies that require game participants, and other NFL personnel, to use their best efforts on the playing field and to protect NFL 'inside information'," he added.

The news of the letter comes just days after the NBA confirmed it worked with major operators to eliminate prop betting markets on two-day and ten-day contract players.