• Memo from league sent out to team officials 
• NFL lays out prohibited wager categories in tandem with sports betting partners and regulators
• Recent betting scandals on MLB, NBA and UFC fronts

Taking a page out of the MLB handbook, the NFL is reportedly also putting restrictions on prop betting.

Stefon Diggs of the New England Patriots catches a pass to score a touchdown as Antoine Winfield Jr. of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during an NFL football game in Tampa, Florida on Sunday. Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images.

According to reporting by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the league office sent out a memo to team officials saying it has worked with lawmakers, regulators and sports betting partners in recent weeks to limit and, where possible, prohibit prop bets in the NFL.

That memo went out in light of betting scandals that have been impacting other pro sports of late.

Recent Betting Scandals

This past week the focus has been on two Cleveland Guardians’ pitcher, Luis Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase, arrested in a gambling scandal where they allegedly took bribes to rig pitches during games, as recently as this past summer. Both players have been on non-disciplinary paid leave since July.

Clase today pleaded not guilty to charges, and was released on $600,000 bond, also surrendering his passport, told to refrain from gambling and submit to GPS monitoring.

Clase is a three-time All-Star and two-time American League Reliever of the Year. Ortiz also has pleaded not gulty.

Major League Baseball announced earlier this week that sportsbook operators had agreed to place a $200 wagering limit on micro-betting around individual pitches in MLB games, as well as prohibiting these types of bets from being included in parlays.

Clase Pleads Not Guilty

On the NBA front, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier along with 34 other people were arrested by the FBI in October after an investigation into fraud and illegal gambling that went on for years.

Rozier was accused of participating in an illegal gambling scheme where he pulled himself out of an NBA game in March 2023 when he was a member of the Charlotte Hornets, so bettors could cash in on $200,000 worth of prop betting around Rozier-related unders that game.

On the UFC front, suspicious betting activity around a featherweight fight between Isaac Dulgarian and Yadier del Valle at UFC Vegas 110 earlier in November led the UFC to release Dulgarian. 

“Corrosive Effect” on Integrity

Integrity Compliance 360 alerted its sportsbook clients and the UFC about unusual betting interest on del Valle to win the fight in the Round 1. The line moved dramatically pre-fight, with several sportsbooks putting a halt on bets on before the fight began. Del Valle won by submission 3:41 in Round 1.

In the NFL memo, the league referenced all the alleged illegal behaviour of late around prop betting – wagers largely or entirely dependent on the actions of a single player.

“From the earliest days of legal sports betting, we have recognized the particular risks associated with prop bets and the corrosive effect they have on fan perceptions, league reputation, and the safety of players, club staff and game officials,” the letter read.

Prohibited Wager Categories

“Our commercial agreements are regularly reviewed and updated to prohibit wagers that are tied to the kind of conduct that was identified in recent federal law enforcement activity, and we maintain regular contact with state officials to ensure that these wagers are appropriately addressed.”

The NFL then listed prohibited wager categories:

Inherently Objectionable: Markets or bets that are inherently or designed to be derogatory or inflammatory, or otherwise based on subject matter against public policy (for example player injuries, fan safety, misconduct)

Officiating-Related: Markets or bets based on officials or officiating (for example, officiating assignments, penalties, replays) 

Determinable by One Person in One Play: Based on outcomes 100% determinable by one person in one play (for example, kicker to miss field goal attempt, QB’s first pass to be incomplete) 

Pre-Determined: Pre-determined outcomes directly related to on field competition (for example, will the QB start this week? Will the team’s first play from scrimmage be a run or pass?)

Law Enforcement Officials Assigned

However, as David Purdy from ESPN reports, the NFL memo refers mostly to types of wagers the league previously requested not to be offered by sportsbooks, and there are no significant changes to current NFL betting menus expected.

The NFL said they also remain committed to year-round monitoring and disciplinary activity to protect the integrity of the game, as well as regular communication with clubs and personnel, including players. Also in Pelissero’s story, the NFL has taken several other measures, including the assignment of former law enforcement officials to each team to monitor suspicious activity.

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