NFL and Four Other Leagues Ask Regulators for Lifetime Sportsbook Bans Over Threats to Athletes
In a letter to gambling regulators in 35 states and Washington, D.C., the leagues and their players' unions proposed permanent exclusion for bettors who threaten players, coaches, officials or their families, plus a shared exclusion list across states.
The NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and MLS, together with their players' associations, sent a letter Tuesday to gambling regulators in 35 states and Washington, D.C., asking them to impose lifetime bans from legal sportsbooks on anyone who harasses or threatens athletes, coaches, officials, team personnel or their families over a bet.
What are the leagues proposing?
Three things: permanent exclusion from licensed sportsbooks for offenders, a streamlined process for passing threat evidence to regulators and law enforcement, and an exclusion list shared among states so a ban in one place applies elsewhere. "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 letter said. Louisiana, Ohio, West Virginia and Wyoming already have similar policies.
What prompted it?
The letter cited a May 2025 case in which Astros pitcher Lance McCullers received social-media messages threatening to "find my kids and murder them" after a poor outing; an investigation traced them to an intoxicated bettor overseas. Separately, DraftKings and Fanatics have partnered with Integrity Compliance 360 to use AI tools to detect abuse aimed at athletes on social media.
Sources
- ESPN: NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS urge action against threats from bettors
