NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB and MLS sent a memo to gambling regulators in 35 states on September 15 calling for lifetime bans on bettors who threaten professional athletes over lost wagers. The leagues want mandatory exclusions for anyone who 'abusively harasses or threatens violence' against athletes, coaches, officials or their families.
Harassment spiked after the Supreme Court struck down the federal sports betting ban in 2018. California bettor Benjamin Patz pleaded guilty in 2021 to threatening more than 300 MLB and college players — he told Tampa Bay Rays athletes he would 'cut their throats'. The court ordered psychiatric treatment and a betting ban but no prison time. North Carolina centre Armando Bacot received over 100 threats on social media last March after a game against Michigan State; he scored 18 points and pulled down 7 rebounds but missed the over on rebounds. Senator Dick Durbin cited the incident at hearings in December 2024, the first federal hearings on sports betting in six years.
The leagues propose a shared platform for forwarding evidence of threats to regulators across all states. The Sports Betting Alliance — DraftKings, FanDuel, Fanatics and Bet365 — backs the plan. Alliance president Joe Maloney said operators are investing in tools to identify offenders.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver floated the idea of a federal sports betting oversight role this summer. Senator Ted Cruz is working on the Protect College Sports Act, but the bill does not address player harassment.
