Is There Anything Worrying about NFL’s Ties to Gambling Operators?

Despite that back in the ‘90s, the NFL supported PASPA, the tables have turned. Since the US Supreme Court struck down PASPA three years ago, more states are legalizing sports wagering. Only recently, in April, the NFL inked multi-year agreements with major sports wagering industry companies such as DraftKings, FanDuel, and Caesars Entertainment.

NFL Changes Perspective on Sports Wagering

The NFL was one of the leagues that helped push PASPA (the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act) into law back in 1992. After that, in 2018, the US Supreme Court struck down PASPA, which used to limit sports wagering to Nevada since its introduction in 1992. Once PASPA was struck down, legislation, regulation, and legalization of sports wagering were left in the hands of the lawmakers of each state. Since PASPA’s repeal three years ago, nearly two dozen states have legalized some form of sports wagering.

Only recently, in April, the NFL inked several deals with major gambling operators. Undoubtedly the league will no longer complain against sports gambling, considering that it inked partnerships with DraftKings, FanDuel, and Caesars Entertainment. Under the multi-year agreements, the operators gained access to NFL brands to use within their online and retail wagering operations. Furthermore, the operators were given green light to create NFL-themed free-to-play games.

Ex NFL commissioner Is Worried about the League’s Ties to Gambling Companies

NFL’s former commissioner, Paul Tagliabue shared his concerns regarding the league’s links to sports gambling. In a recent interview for USA TODAY Sports, he revealed that he has always opposed the “gambling stuff”. Furthermore, Tagliabue revealed that his biggest fear when it comes to sports wagering is that many people are saying that the activity relies on technology. He added the people on TV and many others have told him that today’s high technology enables operators to see where the money is going, which may prevent “point-shaving”.

“I was always opposed to it, the gambling stuff, and I didn’t want to have a team in Las Vegas.”

Paul Tagliabue

Tagliabue acknowledged that this work was done by investigators in the past. Furthermore, he recalled how he used to play basketball back in the 1960s and how his team won against NYU. Sadly, he remembered, that he later understood that the team was “taking money to shave points”. Now, Tagliabue fears the same thing – that one young athlete may decide to “take the money“.