NFL To Pay For Independent Study On Gambling Behaviors Of College Athletes And Students

The NFL is tackling growing concerns about gambling behaviors at the college level head-on.

The league announced a partnership last week with the International Center for Responsible Gaming (ICRG) to fund independent, peer-reviewed research focused on the prevalence, risk factors and impacts of gambling behaviors among college students and student-athletes.

As part of the partnership, the ICRG will lead all research. The NFL Foundation will contribute $600,000 over three years to back the efforts.

Studies will dive deeper into a wide range of topics

Sports betting has become more commonplace this decade as 39 states have legalized the activity, including 30 with online sports betting. Still a new industry, insufficient research exists regarding how the cultural elements, advertising and educational resources affect college-age populations.

The new initiative will enable the ICRG to study numerous components of how college students and athletes engage with online sportsbooks and amass data points to use. 

The ICRG will peer-review its grant applications for proposed studies, and its Independent Scientific Advisory Board will choose the final recipients. Its ultimate goals involve developing data-driven prevention strategies, education and policies focused on reducing gambling-related harm.

“We’re proud to partner with the ICRG to advance research that can drive meaningful solutions and address a critical gap in the understanding of gambling behaviors among college athletes and students,” said Anna Isaacson, NFL senior vice president of social responsibility. “This initiative reflects our ongoing commitment to promoting responsible gambling and fostering a safe and supportive environment for athletes, fans, and communities.”

A growing concern amidst numerous incidents

The need to understand the gambling behaviors of collegiate-aged bettors has become glaring in recent years. College and professional athletes have spoken outwardly about receiving threats from disgruntled bettors after games, and the issue has become so prominent that the NCAA says one in three high-profile college athletes has been on the receiving end of such abuse.

The NCAA made an effort to ban player prop bets on college sporting events through the “Draw the Line” campaign, which it launched earlier this year. However, it has also lessened punishments on student-athletes participating in sports betting and could soon allow them to place wagers on professional sports while continuing to prohibit betting on college games.

That said, the NCAA’s lessened restrictions feed into promoting responsible gambling far more than prohibition. Education provides the opportunity to change behaviors from their root causes and inspire a culture where anyone of legal gambling age can conduct themselves responsibly while engaging in sports betting.

Additional resources go to “Talking with Children About Gambling”

Through the partnership, the NFL will also foot the bill for an update to the ICRG’s “Talking with Children About Gambling” initiative, which provides resources and discussion points for parents, coaches and educators to help prevent minorities from gambling.

The partnership puts another stamp on the NFL’s efforts to promote responsible gambling at all ages. It has a multi-year partnership with the National Council on Problem Gambling, in which it provided a $6.4 million grant and has worked with the Responsible Gambling Council in the past years. 

The league has also mandated that all NFL players take in-person gambling policy education and training classes, and it has provided further resources when deemed necessary. Last year, it put rookies Jayden Daniels and Malik Nabers through “multiple education training sessions” after the two made a $10,000 bet on a podcast over who would win the offensive rookie of the year award.

“The NFL has once again demonstrated its commitment to player and fan protection by supporting this critical research targeting young adults,” said Arthur Paikowsky, President of ICRG. “The NFL and ICRG together will make a meaningful contribution to understanding and implementing policies and programs that support a safer gambling environment.”