Roger Goodell Comments on Gambling Ahead of Raiders' Potential Move to Las Vegas

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said the league's stance on gambling isn't going to change, even if the league approves the Oakland Raiders' proposed move to the gambling mecca of Las Vegas. 

Bill Bradley of the Las Vegas Review-Journal passed along comments Goodell made Wednesday during an appearance on Fox Sports' The Herd with Colin Cowherd. He confirmed all of the league's protocols are expected to remain in place following any potential relocation.

"One thing we can't ever do is compromise on the game," Goodell said. "That's one of the things we'll do is to make sure the policies we've created (will be followed). If we did in any way approve the Raiders' move, I don't see us compromising on any of the policies."

Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com reported last week the Raiders officially filed the necessary paperwork to begin the relocation process from Oakland to Las Vegas. A vote is expected to take place during the March owner meetings, with 24 of the league's 32 franchises needing to vote in favor of the move.

Goodell also explained his overall outlook concerning the Raiders' proposal after Cowherd referenced NBA Commissioner Adam Silver taking a softer public stance on the gambling issue.

"We've seen the changes in the culture around the country in gambling," he said. "We're sensitive to that, but we're also going to evaluate the Raiders case in the relocation application for what's in the overall best interests of the league."

Mark Carpenter of KRON noted relocation isn't a lock yet. He spoke with former NFL, NBA and MLB front-office executive Andy Dolich, who stated the financial details must still get worked out despite Nevada pledging $750 million in taxpayer dollars.

"If Stan Kroenke paid $550 million to move the Rams to Inglewood, why would anybody, if you are an NFL owner, take a penny less to move the Oakland Raiders to another state?" Dolich said. "And where is that $500 million—that's a half-a-billion bucks—where's that coming from?”

Furthermore, Carpenter pointed out the organization hasn't formally received the $650 million that Las Vegas Sands founder Sheldon Adelson offered as part of the relocation.

"Will they ultimately end up [in Las Vegas]? I think the momentum says yes, but I think it's going to be a while longer while the league tries to figure it out," Dolich told KRON.

A move to Vegas presents unique challenges compared to entering Los Angeles, the nation's second-largest media market. And Goodell's comments show the league isn't ready to fully embrace gambling, which adds another hurdle to the Raiders' efforts in the months ahead.