NFL Creates its First Sports Betting Position
The NFL has facilitated sports betting since sports betting has existed. Fantasy leagues were started around the NFL, and groups of friends have often gathered to bet against each other over the years. On Tuesday, the NFL demonstrated its approval of sports betting by hiring its first sports betting executive.
David Highhill was announced as the General Manager and Vice President of sports betting within the NFL. This development was announced earlier this week, and many people are curious as to what this means for the future of football sports betting.
What the Job Entails
As the General Manger and Vice President of Sports Betting, David Highhill will ensure that the NFL is a regulated piece of the sports betting market and that no games are manipulated based on betting. This will help the NFL to stay true to its values, as they protect their customers, fans, and the game.
David Highhill has already been working for the NFL for a decade. He previously held the position of Vice President of Strategy and Analytics, so he’s very familiar with the organization, and is probably the most fit candidate to fill the requirements of the job at hand.
The key focus of the job is maintaining the integrity of the league. The NFL wants to promote sports betting, but it doesn’t want this promotion to come at the cost of fair games. This will be a difficult job for Highhill, as he’ll be responsible for promoting sports betting in a safe manner while ensuring that games are not manipulated in any way.
Demonstrating Trust
The NFL has stated that its main reason for creating this position is to demonstrate to its consumers that sports betting can be done in a sage way. It wants to ensure that fans trust the leagues they’re betting on, and there’s probably no better way to do that than by creating a sports betting branch.
Over half of the states in the U.S. have legalized sports betting, and the NFL wants to ensure that participants from all over the country can bet in a fair manner. The NFL also wants to focus on preventing gambling addictions, as this is often a downside of the promotion of sports betting.
A Steady Path
The sports betting industry within the NFL has been developing for quite a while. The league has partnered with many different sports betting operators over the years to bring fans legal betting throughout the United States. Advertisements for different sportsbooks were also aired on ESPN during football games last year, so Highhill’s new position wasn’t so unexpected.
In reference to the job at hand, Highhill has stated the following:
“…Serving fans where they are is very important and that goes right alongside with supporting our relationship with the National Council on Problem Gambling and insuring that we take a leadership position on problem gambling.”
