The NFL has sent a letter requesting that several betting props be removed from sports betting platforms, and Illinois has taken action, at least temporarily, to honor that request.
Request Granted
Integrity is everything to a professional sports league because, without it, fans would believe the games are scripted events with the outcome already decided. That would lead to a loss of interest, plummeting ratings, and ultimately a decimation of revenue.
Therefore, it is easy to understand why the league would want any wagers that could suggest impropriety by one of the players, coaches, or officials to be banned. The latest salvo in this regard was issued via a formal request by the NFL to have those prop bets removed in which a single player could decide the event.
“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,’” Jonathan Nabavi, vice president for the NFL Public Policy and Government Affairs, wrote in the request form to the IGB.
Illinois Gaming Board administrator Marcus Fruchter has complied with that request and issued a temporary prohibition on the props in question.
“I have determined that any wagering of the manner identified in the attached request poses a significant likelihood of serious risk to the integrity of the Illinois sports wagering industry,” Fruchter wrote.
The matter will be discussed at a December 12th meeting of the Illinois Gaming Board, but until that time, those wagers will be off the betting menus of all mobile and retail sportsbooks operating in the Land of Lincoln.
Inherently Objectionable
The league has deemed the following 11 prop bets “inherently objectionable” and “susceptible to manipulation.”
- Outcome of the first play
- Replay decisions
- Missed field goals or extra points
- Success of a quarterback’s initial pass
- Bets related to fan safety
- Bets on player misconduct
- Wagers on penalties
- Bets on officiating assignments
- Wagers on personnel decisions
- Player injuries
- Any other wager that is 100% determined by one player on one play
Some US states have already taken steps to eliminate these wagers in the framework of their legislation, while others are reacting to the league’s wishes in this regard. An indibvidual player who can negatively determine the outcome of a singular play via a dropped first pass or a missed extra point could undermine the integrity of the sport if it was done on purpose to effectuate the desired outcome.
The league has referred to these bets as “inherently derogatory, designed to be inflammatory, or otherwise based on subject matter against public policy” and has already worked with regulatory bodies in Arizona, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee, and Vermont to eliminate these proposition bets.
“We look forward to working with the Board to ensure that the potentially harmful or objectionable bet types are not offered in the Illinois market. There is no greater priority for the NFL than protecting the integrity of our games and the welfare of our players,” the NFL’s Nabavi stated.
“Fans, players, coaches, and personnel deserve to know that we are doing everything possible to ensure no improper influences affect how our games are played and that we are taking all appropriate steps to ensure that their participation in our games is not subjected to unfair and unwarranted allegations relating to sports gambling,” he added.
Calculators
