Massachusetts Regulator Bets on Respect with New Anti-Harassment Initiative

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) has unveiled a new anti-harassment initiative that seeks to protect athletes from bettors who harass them. The new program will ban those who harass athletes from placing bets with licensed sportsbooks and accessing local casinos.

MGC Seeks to Shield Athletes from Harassment

The MGC’s new program is dubbed Bet On Respect, and as its title suggests, is all about promoting respect toward professional athletes. This comes amid an increase in cases where disgruntled bettors harass athletes over their performance.

According to the MGC’s announcement, Bet On Respect allows league representatives, players’ associations, college athletics programs, sports venues, and players themselves to report suspected abuse to the commission. In the meantime, the regulator will create an exclusion list specifically applying to individuals who have been found to have harassed athletes.

The MGC clarified that incidents can be reported to the MGC via the following email: [email protected]. Alternatively, those familiar with an incident can submit information about it via the official Athlete Harassment Submission Portal.

Once an incident has been reported, the MGC’s Sports Wagering Division will collect evidence and compile a report. The report will be referred to the MGC Investigations and Enforcement Bureau, which will examine the evidence and determine whether action is needed.

Those at risk of exclusion include bettors who have either willfully harassed athletes or threatened to injure them.

MGC Says That Respect Keeps the Game Fun  

According to the MGC, the new program is based on local laws and regulations in order to protect athletes from harassment and exclude those who bully them from gambling. The commission emphasized that “respect keeps the game fun, fair, and safe for everyone.”

Harassing athletes – online or in person – isn’t part of the game. It crosses the line, and it can cost you your betting privileges.

MGC statement

The MGC added that whether players are celebrating a big win or shaking off a tough loss, they should remember to keep their cool. In the meantime, those placed on the exclusion list will receive a letter via first-class mail notifying them of the decision. Patrons excluded in such a way have 30 days to appeal the decision.

In other news, a new study found that young adults widely view sports betting as socially acceptable, despite the risks they face.