BetMGM Implements Permanent Bans for Bettors Who Harass Athletes

The sports betting industry is implementing what may prove to be a significant safeguard for professional athletes who have increasingly found themselves targets of harassment and threats from disgruntled bettors.

BetMGM, one of the nation’s largest sports betting operators, will introduce this week an “Athlete Anti-Harassment Policy” that empowers the company to suspend or permanently terminate customer accounts when users engage in abusive, threatening, defamatory, or harassing conduct toward athletes, coaches, officials, or other individuals connected to sporting events.

The policy represents a zero-tolerance approach to a problem that has grown alongside the rapid expansion of legalized sports betting across the United States. Professional athletes have become more vocal in recent months about the volume and severity of online harassment they receive, particularly following games in which bettors lose money on wagers tied to player performance.

The harassment typically manifests through social media platforms, where bettors who have lost money direct vitriol at athletes whose performance failed to meet the expectations of their wagers. These communications have ranged from crude insults to explicit threats against players and their families.

The timing of this policy initiative reflects the reality that sports betting, now legal in dozens of states, has fundamentally altered the relationship between fans and athletes. What was once an underground activity conducted through illegal bookmakers has become a mainstream entertainment option promoted during game broadcasts and integrated into sports coverage.

This mainstreaming has brought with it consequences that extend beyond the financial. Athletes have reported receiving threatening messages after poor performances, with some bettors apparently believing that their lost wagers justify abusive behavior toward the individuals who compete in these events.

BetMGM’s new policy places the responsibility for such conduct squarely on the shoulders of the bettors themselves. By making account termination a potential consequence, the company is signaling that participation in legal sports betting carries with it behavioral expectations that extend beyond simply placing wagers and collecting winnings.

The effectiveness of this policy will depend largely on enforcement mechanisms and the willingness of athletes to report harassment. It remains to be seen whether other major sports betting operators will adopt similar policies, though competitive pressure and public relations considerations may push the industry in that direction.

The broader question facing the sports betting industry is whether self-regulation will prove sufficient to address these issues, or whether legislative action may eventually be required to establish uniform standards across all operators. For now, BetMGM’s initiative represents a recognition that the integrity of sports and the well-being of athletes must be protected even as the industry continues its rapid growth.

The policy takes effect this week and applies to all BetMGM customers across the markets where the company operates.