NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and MLS unite against abusive gamblers in landmark statement
NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and MLS unite against abusive gamblers in landmark statement
Andrew Gamble Tue, September 15, 2026 at 2:17 PM UTC
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The NFL, and other major leagues, have partnered with numerous sports betting companies in recent years -Credit:Getty Images
Several major sports leagues have come together to address gambling-related harassment of athletes, coaches and families.
On Tuesday, the NFL, MLB, MLS, NBA and NHL joined together with their respective players’ unions to speak out about the increased level of threats toward stars across sports. The statement, shared by Adam Schefter, was addressed to ‘State Gaming Regulators’ and read: “On behalf of the five largest sports leagues and players associations, we write to you today regarding the escalating threat facing professional players, coaches, and officials: the continued harassment and violent threats from sports bettors.
“While the expansion of legal, state-regulated sports betting has brought new ways for fans to engage with their favorite sports, it has also introduced some negative consequences for players and other personnel involved with professional sporting events. 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.
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“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. It is critical that state and local leaders safeguard the participants of sports at all levels.
“While some states like Ohio, West Virginia, Louisiana, and Wyoming already maintain exclusionary lists that ban bad actors from licensed sportsbooks and mobile applications, we call on all state gaming commissions and state policymakers to promptly adopt uniform rules and legislative guardrails to help address this behavior.”
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The statement also offered “proposed regulatory action,” which includes a mandatory lifetime ban.
The leagues hope to establish explicit rules requiring state-regulated sportsbooks and mobile betting operators to permanently take away betting privileges for any individual found to have “abusively harassed or issued threats of violence” against any athlete, coach, official, team personnel, or their respective families.
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Tyrese Haliburton is one of several high-profile sports stars who has spoken out after receiving abuse from bettors -Credit:Getty Images
The leagues also proposed streamlined reporting mechanisms as a response, which would allow leagues, teams, players, and Players' Associations to securely transmit verified evidence of threats to state regulators and law enforcement for possible placement on statewide exclusion lists. They also highlighted that bans in one state should be followed through by other states.
Finally, operator accountability was proposed.
This would force commercial sportsbook partners to proactively monitor, flag, and ban accounts linked to abusive behavior toward athletes in order to maintain their state operating licenses.
The safety and well-being of players, coaches, officials and their families must always come before a wager. As game participants do their utmost to protect integrity, abusive and violent threats should not serve as a deterrence from performing to their fullest.
“We ask for your support in establishing policies that ensure those who threaten athletes or coaches lose their privilege to participate in sports betting forever,” the statement concludes before it was signed off by the NFL, the NFLPA, MLB, MLBPA, MLS, MLSPA, NBA, NBPA, NHL, and NHLPA.
Source: “AOL Sports”
