As the US Sports Equinox approaches in the coming weeks, a coalition of major professional sports leagues has taken a noteworthy step to combat harassment of athletes by frustrated bettors. On Tuesday, a group that includes prominent leagues such as the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the National Football League (NFL), along with their players' unions, issued a memo dated September 15 to 35 state gaming authorities. They proposed a series of regulatory measures aimed at addressing the harassment issue, notably recommending lifetime bans for individuals who engage in abusive harassment or threaten violence against professional athletes.
This initiative coincides with Texas Senator Ted Cruz's efforts to establish a federal framework for college athletics, although the NCAA did not endorse the letter. The leagues’ memo not only targets professional athletes but also calls for similar bans against those who threaten amateur athletes, coaches, officials, and team personnel. "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 statement asserts.
The equinox, a phenomenon occurring when NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB games coincide on the same day, is set for October 26 this year, although the Major League Soccer (MLS) will not have games on that date.
The discussion around harassment was notably reignited by incidents over the past year, including threats directed at former Houston Astros pitcher Lance McCullers from an overseas bettor. This spike in harassment instances has alarmed industry leaders since the Supreme Court's PASPA ruling in 2018. A particularly worrying case involved California bettor Benjamin "Parlay" Patz, who threatened members of the Tampa Bay Rays. In 2021, he pleaded guilty to sending threats to more than 300 athletes and was ordered to undergo mental health treatment without serving prison time.
In December 2024, former Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin convened a sports betting hearing, which was the first such federal hearing in six years. Durbin recounted how former North Carolina center Armando Bacot was bombarded with over 100 social media threats after a game where he missed a betting target despite a strong performance.
This issue of harassment has gained considerable attention at state gambling conferences. At a National Council of Legislators From Gaming States meeting in July, a comprehensive discussion was held on the factors contributing to such events. A state representative detailed threats directed at a college football player who missed a crucial field goal, illustrating the issue's relevance in actual sports settings.
Amidst this backdrop, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver addressed the need for collaborative efforts to develop best practices regarding insider trading and related betting concerns during a recent press conference. He expressed the NBA's potential interest in contributing to a coalition focused on these issues, potentially supporting the establishment of a federal sports betting overseer.
Recognizing the risks of harassment, regulated sportsbooks have also started initiatives to safeguard athletes. Joe Maloney, president of the Sports Betting Alliance, highlighted their ongoing investment in systems designed to identify and report bad actors.
Among the leagues' proposals is the establishment of a standardized reporting platform for transmitting verified evidence of threats securely to state regulators. This platform is intended to facilitate better communication and information sharing between athletes, unions, and regulators.
The NFL previously referenced a similar initiative in correspondence with the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission regarding predictions and potential harassment risks. The issue of harassment connected to prediction markets came to light during a Senate hearing earlier this year, emphasizing the challenges poker faces in maintaining the integrity of sports betting.
Senator Cruz, who has co-authored legislation to protect college sports, expressed hope that a bill aimed at preventing student-athletes from participating in prediction markets will soon be law, though it does not specifically address harassment issues. The senators have also sought clarification from professional leagues concerning their collaborations with integrity monitors regarding questionable wagering practices.
Despite the memo’s issuance, there remains uncertainty about whether league commissioners will be willing to testify before Congress on these pressing sports betting challenges.
