The NFL, MLB, MLS, NBA and NHL are teaming up with their players’ unions to push for tougher action against sports bettors who threaten or harass athletes. The groups are asking state gambling regulators to permanently ban bettors who make threats against players, coaches, officials or their families.
The five major professional sports leagues and players’ associations have sent a letter to gaming regulators in 35 states and the District of Columbia, calling for permanent sports betting bans for individuals found to have engaged in abusive or threatening behavior. The move comes as the rapid expansion of legal, regulated sports betting across the US.
“Threatening the safety of an athlete or their family members over a sports bet crosses a bright ethical and criminal line, and it is entirely unacceptable,” the group wrote.
Several states already operate exclusionary systems that can prevent individuals from accessing licensed sports betting operators. The letter specifically cites Ohio, West Virginia, Louisiana and Wyoming as states with existing measures aimed at banning bad actors from regulated betting.
The leagues want to expand and standardize those protections nationwide. Under their proposal, a bettor placed on an exclusion list in one state would also face exclusion in other jurisdictions.
The group is also calling for a standardized reporting system that would allow leagues, teams, players and players’ associations to securely provide verified evidence of threats to authorities. Such a system would give regulators and operators a more coordinated way to identify harrasing bettors.
The leagues are also seeking greater accountability from sports betting operators, proposing that they proactively monitor, flag and ban accounts associated with abusive behaviour.
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