Arizona Cardinals vice president of player personnel Ryan Gold has been suspended indefinitely by the NFL after the league concluded he violated its gambling policy. The discipline took effect immediately, and the league said Gold cannot seek reinstatement until after the 2026 NFL season.
League officials said the suspension stems from rules that bar NFL employees from betting on league games. The NFL also said its investigation found no evidence that inside information was used and no indication that the integrity of any game was affected.
The Cardinals said they cooperated throughout the investigation and accepted the league’s decision.
“We have fully cooperated with the NFL’s investigation and accept the discipline issued to Ryan Gold,” the team said. “As an organization, we are committed to maintaining the integrity of the game and adhering to all league policies.”
Gold plans to challenge NFL gambling suspension
Gold is expected to appeal. His attorney, Mike Caspino, told ESPN that the league’s case does not support the punishment and said his client intends to fight the allegations through the NFL’s appeal process.
“Ryan Gold has been an outstanding NFL executive for over a decade,” Caspino said. “The accusations made by the league regarding his participation in prohibited gambling activities are blatantly false. We have demanded an appeal, and we look forward to clearing his good name.”
Caspino said the betting activity involved Gold’s wife, who allegedly made $10 weekly parlay wagers with a group of high school friends. According to the attorney, Gold did not participate in those bets. Caspino also argued Gold could not have shared confidential draft information because he did not know which players Arizona planned to select. He said only Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill and general manager Monti Ossenfort had that knowledge.
The suspension arrives as the NFL continues tightening its oversight of sports betting following the proliferation of legalized wagering across the United States. League policy prohibits employees from betting on NFL games, placing wagers from team or league facilities, or sharing confidential information that could affect betting markets.
The league has also increased its focus on prop betting. In a 2025 memo sent to clubs, NFL executives Renie Anderson, Jeff Miller and Ted Ullyot outlined categories of prohibited prop bets, including wagers considered inherently objectionable, officiating-related, determinable by one person in one play, or based on predetermined events. The memo said the league regularly works with regulators and sportsbook partners to restrict such wagers while continuing year-round education, monitoring and disciplinary efforts aimed at protecting game integrity.
Gold remains suspended unless he successfully appeals or is later reinstated under league rules. The Associated Press first reported the suspension in a story published on the NFL’s official website.
Featured image: Defense Visual Information Distribution Service
