Pro Sports Leagues Want Unruly Bettors Banned
David Genge Published 21/09/2026
Five major U.S. professional sports leagues, along with their players' associations, are calling on state gaming regulators to permanently ban sports bettors who threaten or harass athletes, coaches, officials and their families.
In a joint open letter, the National Football League, Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, the National Basketball Association and the National Hockey League wrote that the growth of legalized sports betting has brought with it increased abuse from bettors who are angered over losing wagers.
The five leagues and their players' associations are calling on state gaming commissions to require that licensed sports betting operators permanently revoke wagering privileges when there is verifiable proof that someone has issued violent threats or engaged in abusive harassment.
Pro sports leagues cite angry bettors as dangerous people
Pro sports leagues are expressing concern. The angst is over several documented cases of athletes facing harassment from angry bettors after a losing wager. The sports leagues believe that sports betting operators in U.S. markets should take a hard line against these unruly bettors. The leagues were circulating the letter to gambling regulators in 35 states and the District of Columbia.
"Threatening the safety of an athlete or their family members over a sports bet crosses a bright ethical and criminal line. It is entirely unacceptable," the organizations said in the letter, according to reporting by Reuters.
"Too often, individuals who lose sports bets direct threatening and harassing messages toward players, coaches, and their families via social media and in-person interactions."
In one specific instance, cited by ESPN, Houston Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. received online threats via social media. The threats came from an angry bettor after McCullers gave up seven runs in the first inning of a May 10, 2025 game against the Cincinnati Reds.
"I understand people are very passionate and people love the Astros and love sports, but threatening to find my kids and murder them is a little bit tough to deal with," McCullers told reporters after receiving the threats. The Astros assigned 24-hour security to McCullers following the threats.
Following an investigation, Houston police determined that an intoxicated bettor overseas was behind the threats.
Five states have already instituted anti-harassment policies
Anti-harassment policies governing unruly bettors are already in place in Louisiana, Massachusetts, Ohio, West Virginia and Wyoming. FanDuel Sportsbook recently introduced an anti-harassment policy governing all of its players. DraftKings and Fanatics have partnered with Integrity Compliance 360. They are implementing technology that uses artificial intelligence and investigative tools. Its design helps detect social media abuse and identify the people responsible for it.
"Threats and harassment in sports continue to escalate, threatening the safety of participants and the integrity of the ecosystem," Scott Sadin, co-founder and co-CEO of IC360, told ESPN. "True progress requires a unified response where leagues, operators, regulators and technology partners align around solutions to safeguard stakeholders across every touchpoint."
Leagues want to see a unified policy put into place
The leagues are calling upon states with legal sports betting to institute and enforce an all-encompassing policy. If you are harassing an athlete in one state, you will be receiving a ban from betting on sports in all states.
"Exclusion in one state should be reciprocated in other states," the letter reads.
The leagues are also calling for a standardized reporting system. This system would require that betting sites submit verified evidence of threats to regulators and law enforcement. This could lead to possible inclusion on statewide exclusion lists.
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