NFL Players Union Warns Agents That Sports Books Are Snitching on Players Who Use Mobile Gambling Apps

The NFL Players Association has raised the alarm on sports betting, alerting agents that mobile sports gambling apps like FanDuel can track their clients’ activities.

This comes after the NFL last month suspended five players for violating the league’s gambling policy, which prohibits any member of the league from “engaging in any form of gambling in any club or league facility or venue.” Three players were suspended indefinitely for betting on NFL games, while the other two were suspended six games each for betting on non-NFL games at an NFL facility.

“I am sure all of you have seen the recent suspensions of players that resulted from violations of the NFL Gambling Policy (which is unilaterally imposed by the NFL and not collectively bargained),” the NFLPA said in an email on Monday. “These recent violations involved players placing bets using mobile apps on their phone while at work or while traveling with their teams. This is a violation of the NFL’s Gambling Policy.

“During the NFL’s investigations we have learned that these apps (like FanDuel) are highly sensitive and very sophisticated at tracking, among other things, user location to be sure that the people using the app are not ‘prohibited gamblers’ and/or that the person using the app is in a location where they are allowed to place bets on the app. We have confirmed that some states monitor/audit FanDuel and the other gambling apps to ensure that the companies are in compliance with state law. Further the apps monitor gambler activity. As part of that monitoring, the NFL learned of the players using the apps at work in violation of NFL rules. Players should never open or use any mobile gambling app while at work.”

While the NFL announced its first-ever U.S. sportsbook partnerships in April 2021 with the likes of Caesars Entertainment, DraftKings and FanDuel, the league maintains a strict code of conduct regarding gambling among players and personnel.

This year, wide receiver Calvin Ridley was reinstated after serving one year of an indefinite suspension for violating NFL rules on gambling. ESPN reported that the then-Atlanta Falcon placed a bet using an account registered with a Florida sportsbook when he was outside the state. This prompted a geolocation violation and sparked an investigation that later resulted in the suspension.

According to the American Gaming Association, legal sports betting is available in 33 states and Washington, D.C.