Sports When sportsmen place wagers

I once heard of a player who was banned for a few games for betting. My question is, do you think it is illegal for players to participate in gambling? I see no problem, as long as they are not betting on the games affecting their teams.

In general, I think it is illegal to bet on a sport that you participate in. I do not know of the specifics but overall, my thinking is that it is not appropriate. In the past, several players have been banned for months and even years for gambling.

I didn't even know that about players and gambling. I guess I'm just not that into most sports. It does make a lot of sense, though, because if the players are allowed to gamble then it presents certain conflicts of interest, doesn't it? I did read an article some time back about NFL's change in their stance on gambling policy.

Don't forget the 1981 cricket scandal. Two Australian players bet £10 on England winning the test match, because the odds were 500-1 and they thought it was too good to miss. When England won, there was something of a scandal. The Australian team denied it, but once the players retired, one admitted it (Guardian).

The problem is that betting on the other side gives players an incentive to throw the match, so it doesn't look good and is best avoided even in sports where it isn't illegal. If they are betting on themselves, then there's a little more leeway as they are supposed to do anything they can to win anyway.

It presents a huge conflict of interest, whether this is done directly or indirectly. A player can still be compromised to affect the outcome of the game so as to benefit other people. Considering that most of these players get paid well, it seems greedy for anyone to think of gambling on the side.