While online betting on sports is very popular amongst gambling fans, it seems that one of the biggest leagues is actually against betting - and not only when it comes to sports. Jessica Holzer wrote and article for The Hill which illustrates what representatives from major amateur and professional leagues feel about online gambling. Apparently, Martin Gold, a lobbyist who represents the National Football League stated that "Our sports organizations would very strongly oppose any effort to legalize any online sports gambling. We would also oppose any legislation that would legalize and regulate non-sports gambling online..." This view that appeared on an email sent by Gold was later confirmed by Joe Browne, NFL Vice President.
It would hard to say that this view is accepted by the online gambling industry or by people who love gambling. It's kind of strange that the NFL thinks it has the right to comment of what practice people choose to do in their own home. If one likes to gamble over the prospect of his favorite team to win their next match, this has nothing to do with the NFL or it's views on the world. Sure, the NFL might say that gambling over sports, be it over the internet or by a bookmaker, corrupts the game. However, this is completely false. Bookmakers need the games to be unpredictable and legit. If games are sold, the bookmakers loose all their money. So while players might have an interest to sell games, the bookmakers' interests are the complete opposite.
This looks more like a trend that will blow. With online gambling literally banned in America, the league does not want to be responsible for something that some people consider controversial. Yet again, NFL's representatives could just say nothing regarding the gambling industry and their take on online sports betting. Commenting on the fact that people bet on NFL games, or saying that betting over NFL games is something that they rather be stopped is one thing, but making a remark on our personal private time at home is something else completely.
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