Referees are strictly prohibited from betting on the games they are officiating. This is a fundamental rule in sports to maintain the integrity of the competition and to prevent any potential conflicts of interest or corruption. Betting on a game by a referee, or any other official involved in the game, is considered a serious violation of the rules and can result in severe penalties, including lifetime bans from officiating.
Sports governing bodies, such as FIFA for soccer, the NBA for basketball, and the NFL for American football, have stringent policies against match-fixing and corruption. These policies explicitly forbid not only the act of betting on games but also the sharing of inside information that could influence the outcome of a match.
Referees are expected to uphold the highest standards of integrity and impartiality, and any breach of these standards can have significant consequences for their careers and the reputation of the sport itself.