NFL Commissioner Goodell Changing Tune on Sports Gambling

Over the last five years, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell stood very firmly on his opposition to legalized sports gambling in the U.S. It was back on March 28, 2017 (almost exactly four years ago) that he uttered these words: “I think we still strongly oppose legalized sports gambling. The integrity of our game is No. 1. We will not compromise on that.”

Just a little less than four years later on March 17, 2021, Goodell began singing another tune when he stated: “We’re going to find ways we can engage fans through legalized sports betting.”

That's quite a change of heart in just four short years. One would have to wonder whether or not he really meant what he said four years ago. Of course, it really is irrelevant right now because the NFL is clearly trending towards complete support for legalized sports betting in every state where it's feasible.

Given this dramatic change of heart, it begs the question, "what changed?" In fact, a lot has changed in just the last two years. Here's a list of things that likely pulled at Goodell's heartstrings hard enough that he has become one of sports gambling's biggest proponents:

• 22 states now allow sports betting (retail and or online) with many of the states home to NFL teams
  
• Sports betting revenue is exceeding expectations by ridiculous amounts
  
• NFL owners have been hustling behind the scenes to align themselves and their teams with the nation's biggest sports betting operators
  
• The fans want sports betting on the NFL, and Goodell suddenly feels compelled to oblige
  

In all honesty, Goodell has a responsibility to make NFL owners as much money as possible. If the NFL signs sponsorship deals with the nation's top bookmakers, those deals stand to benefit the NFL in ways no one could have imagined just two short years ago. To be clear, that's the real reason Goodell has changed his mind.

Back when his support for sports betting was nowhere to be found, analysts and experts had no idea just how badly Americans wanted a chance to bet on sports, especially NFL football. After two seasons of NFL wagering in states like Pennsylvania and New Jersey, there is a much clearer picture of how much money is sitting on the table. It's a lot, and the NFL is going to figure out how to get its cut.

For U.S. bookmakers, sponsorship deals with NFL teams and the league, in general, ensure bookmakers will have a steady stream of cash rolling in the door for years to come.

Given the popularity of fantasy football and wagering on NFL games, the NFL has all the leverage it really needs to strike a sweet deal. Additionally, there have been rumors that NFL teams have been in discussions with cable TV land about putting more focus on gambling-focused live sports broadcasts. With details surely being discussed somewhere in America, it looks like the perfect storm is about to rain cash on the NFL.