All the major U.S. sports leagues are banding together to seek harsher punishments for bettors who harass teams and athletes when they begin losing money.
\n\nMLB, MLS, the NBA, the NFL, and the NHL, along with their players’ unions, issued a joint statement to state gambling commissions seeking penalties for people who threaten players, teams, or league officials over gambling losses. The leagues are seeking permanent bans from sportsbooks or other penalties.
\n\n“Too often, individuals who lose sports bets direct threatening and harassing messages toward players, coaches, and their families via social media and in-person interactions,” the joint statement reads, according to the New York Post.
\n\n“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 leagues continued.
\n\nThe leagues want states to implement rules allowing sportsbooks to ban bettors caught harassing league officials, players, or their families.
\n\nThey are also asking regulators to create a system that lets leagues report abusive gamblers.
\n\nFinally, they want state gambling authorities to create rules forcing sportsbooks to participate in the reporting and banning regime or risk losing their licenses.
\n\nPlayers and league officials have worried…
Original source: https://www.breitbart.com/sports/
