Illinois Bans NFL Bets 'Susceptible to Abuse and Manipulation'

The Illinois Gaming Board has officially banned NFL bets that may involve "serious risk" to the ethics of professional sports.

The Board says in a press release that the NFL itself requested that the Illinois Gaming Board ban certain kinds of bets on play; specifically, the new ruling will prohibit gambling on:

1. Player injuries
2. Fan safety
3. Player misconduct
4. Penalties
5. Replay results
6. Officiating assignments
7. First play of the game
8. Roster or personnel decisions
9. Player to miss a field goal or extra point try
10. First pass to be incomplete
11. Any other wager that is pre-determined or 100% by one person in one play

Gaming Board Administrator Marcus Fruchter wrote in the release, "Pre-determined choices and actions within the control of individual players, coaches, or league officials are susceptible to abuse and manipulation."

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In the initial request to the Illinois Gaming Board, NFL Vice President of Public Policy and Government Affairs Jonathan Nabavi wrote that there "is no greater priority for the NFL than protecting the integrity of our games and the welfare of our players."

Roger Goodell, Commissioner of the NFL looks on prior to the NFL match between Jacksonville Jaguars and Chicago Bears at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 13, 2024 in London, England. Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

The Illinois ban follows similar rulings in Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio, which is indicative of just how popular sports betting is becoming. Illinois legalized sports gambling in 2019; online betting in particular has taken off in a huge way. The Gaming Board reported that $848 million was wagered in June alone, with approximately $815 of that occurring online.

The popularity and ease of online betting, however, have raised numerous concerns over both the integrity of sports competition and the potential risks of gambling addiction. It appears that the NFL (by far the most popular sports league for bets in the United States) is well aware of these concerns and is looking to nip them in the bud wherever possible.

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It is likely that the NFL will continue to approach individual states to request rulings against bets that can be easily manipulated, particularly as legalized gambling through services like FanDuel and DraftKings handle increasingly large numbers of wagers each year. Those wagers also appear to be growing more each year.

Newsweek reached out to the Illinois Gaming Board via an inquiry form and received a video of the meeting at which this ruling was made.

For more on the NFL, head to Newsweek Sports.