As the annual US Sports Equinox approaches in the upcoming weeks, a coalition of major professional sports leagues took a significant step on Tuesday by releasing a collaborative memo aimed at addressing the harassment of athletes by frustrated sports bettors.
With sports betting and predictions surging in popularity, key leagues, along with their player unions, sent a memo dated September 15 to 35 state gaming authorities. Among the suggested regulatory measures, the leagues advocated for mandatory lifetime bans for individuals found to have "abusively harassed or issued threats of violence" against any professional athlete.
The group comprises the National Basketball Association and the National Football League, among others. This initiative coincides with Texas Senator Ted Cruz's ongoing efforts to establish a federal framework for college athletics. While the NCAA did not sign the letter, it also calls on states to initiate bans for anyone threatening "amateur athletes," including coaches, referees, and team personnel.
In their statement, the leagues emphasized, "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."
A unique phenomenon, the equinox occurs when the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB all conduct games on the same day. Additionally, the MLS signed the letter, although it will not be participating in this year's equinox on October 26.
Concerns remain regarding the effectiveness of such bans as a deterrent to agitated bettors, over a year after former Astros pitcher Lance McCullers experienced threats from a disgruntled wagerer, later found to be residing overseas.
A troubling trend has emerged since the Supreme Court's PASPA decision in 2018, with incidents of harassment towards athletes on the rise. One of the most alarming cases involved Benjamin "Parlay" Patz, who threatened four Tampa Bay Rays players in 2019, vowing to "sever" their necks. Pleading guilty in 2021 to conveying threats across state lines, Patz was sentenced to mental health treatment but avoided prison time.
The issue gained renewed attention during a federal hearing in December 2024, led by former Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin. He referenced the harassment faced by North Carolina center Armando Bacot during March Madness when Bacot, despite performing well, received over 100 threats for not meeting bet expectations.
Harassment discussions surfaced prominently at July's National Council of Legislators From Gaming States conference, where officials examined underlying causes. During the event, state representatives shared accounts of a college football kicker who endured numerous threats after missing a crucial field goal.
In Las Vegas, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver faced questions about the league's interest in collaborating with other sports bodies to create best practices concerning betting-related concerns, particularly insider trading. Silver indicated that the NBA would be willing to participate and possibly support the appointment of a federal overseer for sports betting.
Regulated sportsbooks are also increasingly focused on mitigating the risks associated with threats to athletes. Joe Maloney, president of the Sports Betting Alliance, reported that their members are striving to implement tools and partnerships aimed at identifying harmful actors and sharing information with leagues and other stakeholders.
Additionally, the leagues proposed that a standardized platform be established for reporting threats, allowing players, unions, and leagues to securely convey verified evidence to state regulators. Maloney's organization includes major sportsbooks such as DraftKings, FanDuel, and Bet365, and he welcomed collaborative efforts to eliminate harassment from sports.
The NFL had previously referenced a version of this reporting platform in correspondence to the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission regarding prediction markets. The league had shared concerns during a Senate subcommittee meeting in May, alluding to potential harassment spikes due to the rise of such markets.
Senator Cruz, who chairs the Senate Commerce Committee, collaborated with Senator Maria Cantwell to draft the Protect College Sports Act, which aims to prevent student-athletes from participating in prediction markets, although it does not specifically address player harassment. Recently, Cruz expressed confidence in the bill's path to becoming law.
Despite the memo issued on Tuesday, it remains uncertain whether any sports league commissioners will provide testimony to Congress concerning significant issues related to sports betting.
