Mike Florio slams Roger Goodell for allowing NFL players to attend Michael Rubin’s party despite Fanatics CEO’s gambling connection

The NFL is in the middle of an interesting debate nowadays, with the league shifting to a different policy regarding gambling and betting in football games. While players are not allowed to bet in the NFL, even if it's not a game that involves their team, they're allowed to bet in other sports if you do so outside of the facilities.

But a recent exclusive party held by Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin has sparked controversy due to some high-profile players attending the event.

Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio has criticized the league for allowing the players to participate in the party hosted by Rubio. As it looks like, the expenses were all paid by the CEO, which creates a grey area: if it's not paid by gambling entities, even though it could be 100% related, should players be allowed to attend those parties? He said:

"The NFL’s gambling policy contains a specific term regarding the acceptance of hospitality or gifts by 'NFL personnel' from 'Gambling Entities.'

"The language of the provision, like the rest of the policy, reads as if it was written by a lawyer, for a lawyer. It’s not clear where the line is. Which, obviously, becomes useful information for those players and other non-lawyers employed by the league and its teams who are expected to stay on the right side of it."

Florio also mention Robert Kraft's presence in the event, going as far to say that, if there were only players, the league would probably go hard at them, but since there was an owner, the NFL will stay quiet:

"And that’s quite possibly the bottom line here. Rubin’s party wasn’t a potential problem until his company launched a sports book. Someone at 345 Park Avenue might had an 'oh shit' moment when considering the application of the relevant portion of the policy to the party.

"If only players were there, maybe they would hammer them. With an owner there, maybe they came up with a way to quietly look the other way."

Which players were suspended for betting in the NFL for the 2023 season?

While Calvin Ridley was the only known player who missed games in 2022 due to violating the league's betting policy, the list is much higher this year.

The following players are suspended for the entirety of the 2023 season:

• CB Isaiah Rodgers
• LB Rashod Berry
• DT Demetrius Taylor
• S CJ Moore
• WR Quintez Cephus
• DE Shaka Toney

The following players are suspended for six games of the 2023 season:

• OT Nicholas Petit-Frere
• WR Jameson Williams
• WR Stanley Berryhill

Those who will miss the entire season placed a bet in NFL games. Those who were suspended for six games did not place a bet in the league's games but placed a bet at work.