A betting inquiry tied to suspended Arizona Cardinals executive Ryan Gold has expanded to Massachusetts, where gaming officials are reviewing unusual wagering activity that may relate to allegations involving confidential information from the 2026 NFL Draft.
Gold, the Cardinals’ director of college scouting, was suspended indefinitely by the NFL in July. The league said its investigation found that he provided confidential, non-public information before it became public and participated in parlay bets involving NFL and college football games.
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission confirmed that it is reviewing unusual betting activity in the state. Thomas Mills, the commission’s communications chief, said any commission investigation “would be in response to reports of unusual betting in the Commonwealth, not necessarily one individual.”
The inquiry follows an investigation opened by the Arizona Department of Gaming last month. Suzanne Trainor, the department’s communications manager, said that the Arizona investigation remains open and ongoing.
Draft Betting Under Examination
The betting activity has drawn attention because of the market surrounding Arizona’s third overall selection. The Cardinals eventually selected Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love.
BetMGM had listed Love at 30-1 to be selected third overall in March. Two days before the draft, his odds had moved to 2-1. DraftKings also reported that Love had attracted more bets and more money to finish third than any other player in that market.
The movement became particularly significant after Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort said the team had decided on Love at the beginning of draft week. That indicated Arizona had largely settled on the pick internally before the public announcement.
The NFL alleges that Gold disclosed non-public draft information. The league also accused him of participating in football parlay bets.
Gold has denied the allegations through attorney Mike Caspino.
“There is absolutely zero substance to the claims made against Ryan Gold,” Caspino told ESPN, as reported by The Athletic. “The NFL’s investigation is so deeply flawed and so wrong. He will be vindicated next month in our appeal.”
Caspino has said the wagers attributed to Gold were actually $10 weekly parlays placed by Gold’s wife, Jennifer, with friends from high school. He maintains that Gold did not participate in those wagers.
The attorney has also disputed the claim that Gold could have known the Cardinals’ selection in advance, saying the information was limited to owner Michael Bidwill and Ossenfort.
“Ryan Gold has been an outstanding NFL executive for over a decade. 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.”
Gold is appealing the NFL suspension and has a hearing scheduled for September 23, ESPN reported.
NFL Maintains Gambling Restrictions
The NFL prohibits club and league personnel from participating in or facilitating sports betting. Employees are also prohibited from sharing confidential, non-public information with third parties.
The league said Gold violated both provisions. It also said the Cardinals cooperated with the investigation and that investigators found no evidence that other members of the organization were involved.
The Cardinals backed the NFL’s decision following Gold’s suspension.
“The NFL’s policies and expectations for all employees are clear, comprehensive, and consistently communicated,” the team said. “We fully support the league’s decision in this matter, which involves a single employee. Our focus remains on preparing for the start of training camp next week and the 2026 season.”
The NFL has previously suspended personnel for gambling violations. Josh Shaw received a lengthy suspension for betting on NFL games, while Miles Austin received a suspension of at least one year despite no indication that he had bet on NFL games.
Former Indianapolis Colts cornerback Isaiah Rodgers received a season-long suspension in 2023 after the league found multiple gambling violations, including wagers involving Indianapolis games.
Roger Goodell said in 2024 that the NFL had disciplined an estimated 25 league and team staff members for gambling violations, compared with 13 players. He also warned that employees who bet on NFL games face automatic termination.
Gold has longstanding ties to Massachusetts. He grew up in Westwood, where he captained his high school football and baseball teams and won two championships.
He later attended the University of Massachusetts, graduating with a degree in sports management in 2011. From 2011 to 2013, he worked as an assistant offensive line coach with the university’s football program.
Gold then spent 13 years with the Cardinals, holding several scouting positions before becoming director of college scouting.