BetMGM has officially made banning customers who abuse athletes part of its policy.
The sportsbook took to X on Monday to announce it was updating its terms of service to suspend any customer for “harassing or abusive language toward athletes, coaches, or team or league personnel”:
BetMGM stated that while it had already suspended accounts of customers for abuse, the explicit ban in the newly worded Ts and Cs “is intended to provide clearer standards.”
BetMGM’s Chief Compliance Officer Rhea Loney reinforced the policy, saying confirmed accounts of abuse “will result in decisive measures, including account suspension.”
BetMGM brand ambassador and NFL legend Barry Sanders said the update sent a message that abusive behavior “has no place in sports or sports betting.”
heckler posted FanDuel winnings on social media after Thomas lost
At a Grand Slam Track event last year, a heckler attempted to throw Olympic gold medalist Gabby Thomas off her game so his bets would be successful. The heckler posted FanDuel winnings on social media after Thomas lost, leading the sportsbook to announce it had banned him. The abuser, however, responded that he didn’t have a FanDuel account, that others paid him a percentage for his betting consultancy, and that he “had almost 100 clients that placed that same bet and won.”
BetMGM’s announcement comes on the heels of news that two bills are making their way through the New York legislature intending to ban violators from betting if they harass athletes.
