Roger Goodell Says 25 Employees Violated Gambling Policy

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told reporters that 25 league employees — along with 13 players — have so far violated the league’s gambling policy, though he stopped short of saying what the punishments were for all who were caught.

“We have suspended a number of personnel both at the club level and the league level for the same,” Goodell said Monday during his annual Super Bowl briefing. “We’ve actually terminated employees.”

He went on to say that anyone caught betting on league games is fired, period, end of story.

“If they were betting on the NFL, you’re terminated automatically,” he said. “That’s just that.”

Goodell, in a wide-ranging discussion, touched on a few other elements connected to sports betting and the NFL.

“The integrity of our game is critical,” Goodell said. “And so we spend a lot of time focusing on that, educating, making sure that all of our personnel are aware of our gambling policies, in this case or any other policy that can affect the integrity of our game. So, ultimately, that’s our primary job.”

Goodell noted that he sent not-so-gentle reminders to all 32 teams concerning what was expected of them in Las Vegas during Super Bowl week.

“This week coming in here, we wanted to make sure — not just the two teams, but every other club would likely have representatives here — we wanted to make sure they understood it, our league staff and everyone else, so that they understood exactly what our policies were here,” he said. “They all understand the importance of it. We clarified our policy earlier this year, and it was to put the importance for our players that betting on NFL games or inside information or anything that would negatively impact the integrity of our game is absolutely off limits.”

Goodell also noted the NFL is doing the best it can in light of the 2018 United States Supreme Court decision to overturn PASPA.

“We take this incredibly seriously,” Goodell said. “We understand the risk. We did not make the decision. Ultimately the decision was a decision by the Supreme Court: They legalized sports betting. We have to adapt. We have to embrace it. We have been cautious. We have been very thoughtful, I think, in our approach.”