Drew Brees Forces Gambling Regulators to Halt Citrus Bowl Betting

On Friday, New Jersey gambling regulators ordered bookmakers to stop accepting bets on the Citrus Bowl. The game, features Purdue and LSU squaring off on January 2nd in Florida. Reportedly, someone linked with the Purdue Football team violated state regulations and this prompted the decision.

Drew Brees Identified as Individual in Question

According to sources, they have identified the individual in question as former NFL quarterback Drew Brees, who recently agreed to serve as an interim assistant coach for Purdue in the bowl game. Brees has a commercial relationship with sportsbook PointsBet and holds an equity investment in the company.

Existing Wagers on Citrus Bowl and Fiesta Bowl Void

The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement instructed sportsbooks to stop taking bets involving Purdue football and to void any wagers on the Citrus Bowl or Fiesta Bowl that were placed after December 15. Additionally, the gaming division did not name the individual but stated that they were in violation of statute 5:12A-11 (f). This prohibits athletes, coaches, referees, or directors of sports governing bodies from having “any ownership interest in, control of, or otherwise be employed by an operator.”

PointsBet Terminates Partnership with Brees

In June of 2021, Brees signed on as a brand ambassador for PointsBet. They gave him an equity investment in the corresponding sportsbook as part of the agreement. PointsBet, which has operations in New Jersey, announced that it was terminating its partnership with Brees. This comes one week after he agreed to coach Purdue. In a statement, the company congratulated Brees on his appointment but noted that it had decided to end the ambassador partnership in order to uphold its commitment to regulatory compliance, responsible gaming practices, and the integrity of legal sports betting.