The ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷Íøand NFLPA have agreed to adjust the existing gambling policy as it relates to players, which will immediately reinstate a couple of suspended players.
The league is reinstating Lions receiver Jameson Williams and Titans offensive lineman Nicholas Petit-Frere, effective Monday, ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøNetwork Insider Tom Pelissero reported. Williams and Petit-Frere still had two weeks left on their existing suspensions prior to Friday's policy changes.
The adjustments include heightened penalties for players who bet on ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷Íøgames -- including the possibility of a lifetime ban -- and a reduction of penalties for players who place bets on other sports while in the workplace or while working.
"The ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷Íøand ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøPlayers Association share a longstanding and unwavering commitment to protecting the integrity of the game," the league and players' union said in a joint statement Friday. "The ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷Íøperiodically reviews the gambling policy in consultation with the NFLPA and clubs to ensure it is responsive to changing circumstances and fully addresses this commitment."
Betting on ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷Íøgames will draw an indefinite suspension at a minimum of one year, or two years if a player bets on a contest involving his team. Actual or attempted game fixing will result in a permanent ban from the NFL, while providing inside information and tipping will elicit an indefinite suspension (minimum of one year), as will third-party or proxy betting.
The most significant change outside of the ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷Íøarena reduces penalties for betting on other sports while in the workplace, calling for two-game suspensions without pay for first-time offenders, six-game bans (also without pay) for second-time offenders, and suspension without pay for at least one year for a third violation. Williams and Petit-Frere were previously suspended six games for betting on non-¹ú²úÍâÁ÷Íøsports at a team facility. Under the amended policy, they would've been banned two games.
The ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøCommissioner will consider specific patterns of behavior and history of wagers, as well as the player in question's access to confidential information or an ability to affect a game in any way, among other factors, per a memo obtained by ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøNetwork's Judy Battista. Self-reporting violations, acceptance of responsibility and cooperation with league investigations can serve as mitigating factors when determining penalties.
The ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷Íøhas banned a handful of players since enacting its gambling policy, including a few rounds of suspensions prior to the start of the 2023 season. Williams and Petit-Frere are the only suspended players directly affected by this change in policy.
