NFL collaborates with International Center for Responsible Gaming, funds $600,000 to study college athlete and students gambling habits

The National Football League (NFL) is stepping up to combat the increasing rate of gambling among college students and athletes. In a joint effort with the International Center for Responsible Gaming (ICRG), the NFL will sponsor a three-year research program to identify the risks and effects of betting habits in college settings. The league is donating $600,000 through the NFL Foundation to pay for independent research and develop revised educational resources intended to guard young people from gambling harm before college.The NFL's collaboration with the International Center for Responsible Gaming is the latest step in its campaign for responsible gaming. The league-funded research will examine gambling prevalence, risk factors, and long-term effects among college students and athletes. The action comes as broader scrutiny of gambling in college sports sees student-athletes exposed to both external risk and internal pressures. NFL senior vice president of social responsibility Anna Isaacson highlighted the need for proactive measures, adding that filling a critical knowledge gap, this action takes on the wider challenge of creating a safer gambling culture.The revised ICRG toolkit, ‘Talking with Children About Gambling,’ is central to this effort. It will be disseminated broadly among parents, educators, and youth sports organizations to enable early education about the dangers of gambling. “We’re proud to partner with the ICRG to advance research that can drive meaningful solutions and address a critical gap in the understanding of gambling behaviors among college athletes and students,” Anna Isaacson, NFL senior vice president of social responsibility, said. “This initiative reflects our ongoing commitment to promoting responsible gambling and fostering a safe and supportive environment for athletes, fans, and communities.” Subsequently, the NCAA launched its ‘Draw the Line’ campaign to combat player prop bet harassment and advocate for a national player prop bet prohibition. NCAA President Charlie Baker urged lawmakers to enact legislation against illicit sportsbooks and safeguard student-athletes from targeted abuse.Also read: NFL player Jake McQuaide causes scene in church, demands answers in archdiocese porn scandal—escorted outThrough its funding of ICRG's research and education work, the NFL is aiming to influence prevention and policy alike. The league has spoken categorically about its number-one priority being preventing harm from gambling, most especially among youth athletes in sports who might not even know they are at risk. As legalized sports betting grows ever more prevalent, the need for broad, evidence-based intervention is never more urgent.