A new bill, recently introduced in the New York State Legislature, would seek to protect athletes from abuse and threats arising out of sports gambling. If passed, it would punish people who engage in abusive, harassing, or threatening behavior against athletes by banning them from sports gambling. The hope is that this law will help to fight the growing trend of disturbing behavior from sports fans who put their money on the line through sports gambling sites and apps.
What is This Law?
The proposed law (A7903B), introduced by New York State Assemblymember Charles Lavine (D-North Shore), would make it illegal for people to engage in abuse or harassment against athletes or others involved in amateur or professional sports, such as coaches, officials, or anyone else who participates in an athletic event. If passed, anyone found guilty of such an offense would no longer be able to legally engage in sports gambling of any type. This potential punishment would, hopefully, curtail bad behavior from gamblers who get angry about their bad bets.
What is the Purpose of the Law?
In 2018, the Supreme Court decided in Murphy v. NCAA that federal laws regulating sports gambling were unconstitutional, leading to an explosion of companies dedicated to this newly legalized field of gambling. Services like FanDuel and DraftKings, as well as recently emergent “prediction markets” like Polymarket and Kalshi, have allowed for an explosion in legalized sports gambling. Unfortunately, this has also led to an increase in disturbing and sometimes criminal behavior from fans, who target professional and amateur athletes alike when bets do not go their way.
Why is the Law Being Considered?
The number of athletes who have faced harassment, abuse, and even death threats has skyrocketed in the past few years, and the growth of sports gambling has played a direct role in that. The consequences of this for those who have been targeted is dire, affecting them both personally and professionally. The psychological toll of this harassment has had a direct impact on their careers, and some have even feared for their lives.
Why Does This Matter?
Athletes deserve to be able to play sports without fear that they will be harassed by fans who are more concerned about their bets than the athletes’ well-being. While it may not be possible to put the proverbial genie back in the bottle when it comes to sports gambling, at least this can discourage some fans from engaging in inappropriate behavior. Those that violate the law, meanwhile, will suffer the consequences of being unable to remain polite to athletes who are just here to play.
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