BetMGM Says It Will Ban Bettors That Abuse Athletes
With the Super Bowl on the horizon, BetMGM announced this week that it is updating its terms of service to explicitly prohibit customer harassment of athletes, coaches, and sports personnel.
The move comes as sports leagues and the NCAA ramp up anti-harassment campaigns to protect athletes and others involved in the games.
Threaten an athlete? BetMGM could close your account
Under its new rules, BetMGM can suspend or close a customer’s account if it confirms they engaged in harassment, whether the abuse occurs online or in person. Previously, BetMGM already had broad authority to close accounts “for any lawful reason,” but the company’s clarified rules are meant to be more clear-cut.
“We are unwavering in our commitment to sports integrity — and that commitment extends to safeguarding athletes, coaches and league personnel,” BetMGM chief compliance officer Rhea Loney said. “Our legal, regulated environment enables us to identify misconduct, investigate reports, and take action when necessary. Any confirmed instance of harassment will result in decisive measures, including account suspension.”
The policy update is subject to regulatory approval as required.
Sports organizations fight back against abusive bettors
Over the past few years, numerous surveys and academic studies have detailed how legalized wagering is related to online abuse of athletes.
At the college level, the NCAA partnered with Signify Group to monitor social media during championship events, using its Threat Matrix system to flag thousands of abusive or threatening posts, many linked directly to gambling outcomes. Even as a recent March Madness report showed sports‑betting abuse down 23% year‑over‑year, the association continues to pressure states to tighten laws protecting college athletes from harassment and maintains public awareness campaigns aimed at curbing online abuse.
In addition, the NCAA now requires sportsbooks that license its official data to ban several types of “high-risk prop bets” that it believes can lead to threats from unhinged bettors when an athlete underperforms.
NBA officials have warned teams and sportsbooks about the “dire risks” of gambling‑related misconduct. An anonymous survey of NFL players published this week by The Athletic found about 70% had been contacted or confronted by fans upset about lost bets or fantasy results, often in the form of slurs or death threats delivered through social media or payment apps. MLB players and their families have described a surge of online abuse and in‑person incidents where the wives and children of players were targeted, prompting police investigations and added private security.
In women’s sports, the WNBA formed a task force to battle online harassment amid rising betting interest, as research shows female basketball players receive far higher volumes of sexualized and abusive messages than their male peers.
BetMGM acts as $1.7 billion in Super Bowl wagers loom
The timing of BetMGM’s announcement comes during a time when betting handle and fan emotions peak with the Super Bowl set for Feb. 8, and with the backdrop of NFL players reporting that harassment spikes around high‑profile games.
Legal Sports Report and the Sports Betting Alliance forecast $1.71 billion in Super Bowl LX legal bets.
BetMGM’s policy update aligns with the operator’s broader responsible gambling initiatives, including its GameSense program, which is integrated across its mobile and desktop platforms as well as at 10 football stadiums nationwide.
Football Hall of Famer and BetMGM ambassador Barry Sanders endorsed the move, calling it a strong signal that “harassment has no place in sports or sports betting.”
