During the offseason, several players received severe suspensions for violating the NFL’s gambling rules. Now the league is changing the penalty schedule.

As The Athletic reports, the NFL is changing its rules for how players handle sports betting.

Among other things, the suspension of players who were originally suspended for six games has been retroactively reduced to four games.

In general, the penalties for sports betting not on NFL games are now significantly lower.

Anyone caught at work betting money on another sport will now only be suspended for two games without pay the first time.

If it’s a repeat, it becomes six games without pay, which increases to a suspension for an entire year on a third offence.

Besides the relaxations, however, there are also some tightening of the rulebook.

NFL continues to determine penalties

For example, a player who bets on a game of his own team will be suspended for at least two years – a doubling of the previous penalty.

Although the players’ union NFLPA, in cooperation with the league, is responsible for the policy changes, the punishment of individual cases remains in the hands of the NFL.

Players will still be allowed to place bets on non-NFL related events outside of their team’s premises.

The relaxations, as well as the tightenings, appear to apply only to players and not to other league employees.

Under the previous rules, they are strictly prohibited from placing bets – on any sport.