NY Jets coach suspended over gambling offenses

Sports betting in the United States has created a "perfect storm" for match betting offenses, and yet – strict regulation and unfaltering ethical guidelines have helped avert much of the expected calamity. Yet, there have been some bad examples.

At the beginning of December, Ontario and Alberta ordered sportsbooks to stop offering betting markets on UFC fights, although the prohibition was lifted later on. Evander Kane, a San Jose Sharks player, was investigated by the National Hockey League over alleged offenses that had to deal with the player placing wagers.

The latest scandal that attempts to undermine the probity of sports betting comes from the New York Jets. The NFL confirmed the suspension of wide receivers coach Miles Austin over his alleged involvement in sports gambling. This is a huge issue for the National Football League which has an adamant anti-gambling policy that prohibits insiders and players, as well as their families, to gamble.

While the UFC has been much laxer insofar as gambling prohibition goes, the biggest leagues in the United States, including the NBA, NHL, MLS, NCAA, NBA, MLB, PGA, and USTA, are very firm when it comes to gambling. They simply do not let insiders do it. Austin is not fully denying his involvement with sports gambling either.

His lawyer, William P. Deni Jr, spoke with members of the press and confirmed that his client had placed the occasional flutter on various sports. Austin did not gamble on NFL games or collegiate-level football, but his offense still stands, according to the NFL, which insists that the coach’s behavior violates its personnel gambling policy.

Austin’s lawyer said that his client did not in fact violate the policy, and said that he was cooperating with the investigation, while also confirming that the coach will be appealing his suspension. ESPN, which did the original reporting, said that the suspension will possibly apply for at least a year, although officially – the penalty is indefinite.

One of the most damning arguments against Austin is that he may have in fact been gambling while at his team’s facility. The case is still ongoing with not much information besides the ESPN report and the NFL’s official update presently available to the public.

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