The phrase “official betting” has become front and center in the US state-level debate on sports gambling. As leagues shift from their years-long opposition to betting to their desire to profit from it, official data mandates and a proposed integrity fee have emerged as key battlegrounds.

In short, it’s the leagues’ attempt to impose a handle-based fee on all wagers placed on their events by legal operators in states where sports betting is offered. Such a fee would be tacked onto each individual wager and paid to the leagues via data distributors like Sportradar.

But while legislators have been receptive to this pitch, operators remain skeptical of its value and the utility of mandating data use. The reality is that the data has yet to prove its worth, and forcing private operators into commercial agreements with the leagues creates a monopoly that many view as bad public policy.

What are the penalties for placing a bet on an NFL game?

In order to avoid a rash of fines, the league has beefed up its in-house technology and is working with sportsbooks, independent integrity monitors, and regulators to create a network that can detect when a player bets on a NFL game. The league also is limiting in-game bets to those made at team and league facilities and has been suspending players for up to one year for violating rules related to gambling on its games. For example, the NFL has suspended former Detroit Lions receiver Quintez Cephus and Washington Commanders defensive end Shaka Toney for a total of six games for betting on the league while at team and league facilities.