NFL insider Adam Schefter prohibited from sports betting ahead of ESPN’s new project's release: Report

Football fans wait for Adam Schefter’s social media updates because it could alter the NFL’s landscape. While no one knows when they will come, his tweets about trades or injury updates can change a game’s complexion.

With Schefter possessing insider information, his home network prohibited him from betting on games using their app. Aside from Schefter, NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski isn’t allowed to place wagers on leagues they cover.

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Adam Schefter cannot place NFL bets through ESPN BET

In an article by Front Office Sports’ Michael McCarthy, the sports-based network doesn’t want their insider to use confidential information to earn additional income through wagers. ESPN will also keep Adam Schefter and other league insiders from shows that tackle gambling, like Daily Wager.

Aside from Schefter, Wojnarowski, and other insiders, ESPN employees like production personnel and off-site journalists cannot bet on games they cover. Their employees engaged in direct deals with major sporting leagues are also banned from betting.

These guidelines adhere to the business conduct standards imposed by ESPN’s parent company, Walt Disney.

ESPN BET will go live on November 14 in 17 states. The network will launch the platform as part of a ten-year, $2 billion deal with Penn Entertainment to rebrand Barstool Sportsbooks. ESPN has launched commercials promoting the betting platform featuring Scott Van Pelt.

Insiders placing bets on the sports they cover came into question when Shams Charania altered betting lines around a top NBA prospect. He was also called out for his part-time role with FanDuel Sportsbook, citing a conflict of interest.

Meanwhile, Bloomberg’s Timothy O. Brien reported that Schefter invested in sports gambling company Boom Entertainment, questioning his journalistic credibility.

Statista reports that the United States betting market raised $7.56 billion in revenue. It’s expected to increase with more states legalizing sports betting.

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Adam Schefter’s journey to being an NFL insider

After working for publications like the Chicago Tribune and the Denver Post, Adam Schefter joined the NFL Network in 2004. Five years later, he became ESPN’s football analyst. He was also named New York’s Most Influential Tweeter by New York Magazine in 2014.

While Schefter’s tweets are highly anticipated, his journalistic choices have been criticized. In June 2021, an email he sent to then-Washington Redskins general manager Bruce Allen was used as an exhibit in a defamation suit filed by former Redskins/Commanders owner Daniel Snyder. The email he sent was cited as a violation of journalistic ethics.

Schefter also received much heat after his tweet regarding Dwayne Haskins’ death. He deleted the tweet and issued an apology.