NFL forbids 3 Dolphins players from playing in poker tournament

The NFL has barred three Miami Dolphins players from participating in a poker tournament, as the event promotes gambling, according to Nick Sortal of the Sun Sentinel. Jason Fox, A.J. Francis and Jordan Cameron were set to play in a tournament at Seminole Casino Coconut Creek, where they were "celebrity bounties" for other tournament players.

The tournament in question is the "See You Later" tournament, hosted by Andy Slater monthly at the Coconut Creek casino. Slater is the host of a daily sports-talk show on WINZ, AM 940, as noted in the report. The tournament has included NFL players in the past, according to the report. That includes Dolphins wide receiver Davone Bess back in 2013. In this tournament, the celebrities are used as targets for other players, who buy in at $94, to eliminate and earn a bounty.

The league told the players and emailed Slater that NFL players cannot take part in anything which promotes casino activities, according to the report. Slater himself is quoted, saying that the NFL is doing this as a precaution, and that the NFL is "built on gambling."

It's worth noting that this all hinges on the promotion aspect of the tournament. NFL players are allowed to gamble, but the league considers this against its rules as it continually tries to deny the existence of casinos. This comes just a few days after the NFL canceled a fantasy football convention put together by Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo because the event took place on property owned by a casino.