Shortly after the National Football League issued its first sports betting suspension in about three years, a senior official from the Arizona Cardinals has denied any wrongdoing.
On Friday, the NFL disclosed that Ryan Gold, the team's director of college scouting, was suspended for violating its sports betting policy. An investigation revealed that Gold had shared non-public information concerning the Cardinals' 2026 NFL Draft picks. Consequently, he is facing an indefinite suspension.
However, Gold's attorney, Mike Caspino, refuted the allegations, labeling them "blatantly false." The NFL has not identified the person who allegedly received the draft information from Gold, nor is it clear if that individual or their associates placed bets based on the confidential details.
"We have demanded an appeal, and we look forward to clearing his good name," Caspino stated to ESPN.
In the wake of releasing veteran quarterback Kyler Murray, the Cardinals revamped their offensive line in the draft. They selected Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love with the third overall pick, followed by quarterback Carson Beck as a possible replacement for Murray. In addition, they reinforced the offense with offensive lineman Chase Bisontis in the second round and wide receiver Reggie Virgil in the fifth.
Prior to the draft, Love was favored at +225 odds at BetMGM to be picked third overall, with only Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey having lower odds. Caspino insists that Gold had no prior knowledge of the specific selections made by the Cardinals, asserting that only team owner Michael Bidwill and General Manager Monti Ossenfort were privy to that information. Although Love attended FanaticsFest over the weekend, he did not make any comments regarding the situation.
Regarding the allegations of betting, Caspino noted that Gold's wife had placed a series of weekly $10 parlays with a group of friends from high school, but he stressed that Gold himself did not participate in such undertakings. The NFL stated that its gambling policy prohibits any personnel from sharing non-public information related to betting with outside parties. The league emphasized that, while it found no evidence of any impact on the integrity of its games, it regards violations of its gambling policy very seriously.
In a related development, Gold's suspension comes amid remarks from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver during his recent press conference at the NBA Summer League. Silver hinted at the possibility of forming a coalition with other professional sports leagues to establish best practices for maintaining sports integrity, particularly as multiple defendants from various leagues face felony charges related to match-fixing.
The NFL has issued 10 gambling-related suspensions in 2023, including a year-long ban for former Indianapolis Colts defensive back Isaiah Rodgers. Rodgers admitted to placing several bets from his locker, including a significant wager on a teammate's performance. He was subsequently reinstated and is now part of the Minnesota Vikings. Players from the Detroit Lions, Tennessee Titans, Denver Broncos, and Washington Commanders have also been suspended this year.
While the NHL, MLB, and MLS have entered commercial partnerships with prediction markets, the NFL and NBA have yet to formalize agreements with the US Commodities Futures Trading Commission. Recent scandals in sports betting were discussed during a meeting of aUS House Agriculture subcommittee earlier this week.
Entering his 13th season with the Cardinals, Gold became the team's head of college scouting in 2025. The Cardinals will commence training camp this Wednesday.
