NFL, MLB, NBA, other pro leagues band together to crack down on betting-related harassment
Most professional sports leagues now have partnerships with betting operators.
The NFL, NBA, MLS, NHL and MLB have united to combat betting-related harassment targeting players, coaches, and their families, according to a joint statement released on Tuesday. The leagues emphasized that threatening or harassing messages targeting athletes or their families via social media or in-person interactions are both ethically wrong and criminal offenses, crossing a clear line.
They proposed several measures for State Gaming Commissions and Regulatory Authorities to address the issue, such as implementing lifetime bans for fans who harass athletes or issue threats of violence, establishing streamlined reporting mechanisms for abusive behavior, and holding operators accountable by actively monitoring and flagging accounts involved in abusive conduct.
This collaboration follows multiple professional sports leagues partnering with sportsbooks and betting operators in recent months, with the NFL announcing partnerships with FanDuel, DraftKings, and Fanatics Betting and Gaming in August. MLB has been partnered with FanDuel since 2023, and the NBA maintains an official webpage listing its gaming partners and operators.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
