The NFL outlined the league’s playing coverage and known as for federal help to deal with the “illicit sports betting market” in a response letter despatched to a U.S. congresswoman Friday.

Alarmed by an uptick in betting-related controversies, U.S. Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nev.) in mid-June issued letters to commissioners and presidents of 12 distinguished sports activities leagues inquiring about their playing insurance policies and efforts to guard the integrity of the video games within the fashionable panorama.

Thirty-four states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have launched authorized betting markets following a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018.

“There is no higher principle at the NFL than safeguarding the integrity of the game,” Jonathan Nabavi, the league’s vp of public coverage and authorities affairs, wrote within the response letter to Titus obtained by ESPN.

“Our efforts to uphold game integrity have been ongoing throughout the history of the league and our commitment has not wavered since the Supreme Court’s decision. The increased accessibility of sports betting has made our efforts even more important.”

The NFL has suspended 10 gamers in 2023 and 12 general for violating the league’s playing coverage for the reason that Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992, the federal statute that had restricted authorized betting to primarily Nevada.

While authorized sportsbooks have unfold across the nation, the underground betting market stays prevalent, and the NFL believes the shortage of safeguards with bookmakers who function outdoors of the regulated surroundings within the U.S. poses an integrity menace.

“We believe that additional attention and resources are needed from lawmakers and law-enforcement to address the illicit sports betting market, which still has the power of incumbency,” Nabavi wrote.

In addition to the suspensions within the NFL, collegiate sports activities has seen an uptick in betting controversies. This week, 4 present and previous student-athletes at Iowa State, together with Cyclones’ quarterback Hunter Dekkers, and three student-athletes on the University of Iowa had been criminally charged in a sports activities betting investigation.

NCAA President Charlie Baker, in a response to Titus on July 12, disclosed that there had been 175 sports activities betting violations since 2018 in NCAA sports activities.

“I agree with you that in addition to the opportunities it creates, sports betting brings risk that could undermine the integrity of competition,” Baker wrote to Titus.

The Iowa Racing and Gambling Commission mentioned Thursday it had not seen evidence of any game manipulation within the current betting scandals at Iowa and Iowa State.