Josh Shaw’s gambling fumble a lesson for all
When Arizona Cardinals defensive back Josh Shaw entered a Las Vegas Caesars sportsbook last month, he had already violated the NFL’s gambling policy.
By placing a multi-game parlay on league games, Shaw risked undermining the integrity of the sport.
After a report came out that Shaw’s parlay included a bet on the Cardinals, the NFL doubled down on its statement that Shaw did not use any inside intel on his parlay bet.
What’s clear is this: Shaw’s decision to bet on games including one that involved his own team will lead to severe consequences personally and force the NFL and other pro sports leagues to become more diligent when it comes to preventing gambling among players and employees.
The NFL and other major leagues, need to re-clarify what boundaries exist between their own workers and the rest of the general public.
Sports betting is more accessible than ever following the overturning of PAPSA, and pro leagues and franchises are as excited as anyone to be part of the action.
Just this week, Caesars-operated Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino and Racetrack partnered with the Philadelphia Eagles for a marketing deal.
Soon, fans will be able to bet on games inside pro stadiums as live sports take progress. Sports gambling business partnerships aren’t just limited to leagues and organizations, either.
Earlier this year, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson debuted a free-to-play sports prediction app called Tally that gives out real cash payouts and other prizes.
Besides the free entrance fee, the app isn’t a whole lot different than games that some online sportsbooks provide.
The NFL is already toeing the line when it comes to promoting gambling. Shaw just happened to be the first one to cross it.
To be clear, nowhere does the NFL tell its players or employees that gambling on pro football is permissible.The league’s policy prohibits offering inside tips or information, visiting or entering a sportsbook during the season, or participating in daily fantasy games.
The closest NFL personnel can come to sports wagering is to partake in traditional fantasy leagues with prize pools of $250 or less.
Shaw’s case illustrates how even when a league purportedly does its job at educating players and employees on its sports betting rules, mistakes can still occur, intentional or not.
The NFL and its Players Association both take steps to inform players on the dos and don’ts of the league’s gambling policy.
However, it’s possible that Shaw, who is out for the entire 2019 regular season with a shoulder injury he suffered in the pre-season, missed out on some of if not all that information.
When Shaw signed up for a sports wagering account with Caesars, he reportedly listed professional football player as his occupation.
If Shaw was trying to sneak in a bet, he wouldn’t have outed himself so blatantly. Shaw’s decision to place a parlay bet also indicates that he wasn’t trying to intentionally cheat his pick.
Even if Shaw had used inside information to win the side of the bet including the Cardinals (which he lost), he still would have needed the other side to come through.
Shaw is currently appealing the NFL’s ruling, which states that he is suspended through the 2020 season with an opportunity to petition for reinstatement in February 2021. He certainly committed a lapse of judgment and it’s unlikely the NFL will uphold his appeal.
Responsibility also falls on Caesars for allowing Shaw to gamble on NFL games despite him self-identifying as a professional football player. Caesars and other casino sportsbooks provide bettors the service of sports wagering, and it’s their job to keep league personnel from deliberately betting on games.
As the lines grow blurrier between operators, leagues, franchises and athletes, proper regulations must be in place to prevent similar incidents from occurring again.
Let Shaw’s story be a lesson for all.
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