BetMGM Updates Its Terms to Address Athlete Harassment

Another big sports betting brand is joining the fight against athlete harassment.

BetMGM announced in a press release that it has updated its terms and services to address the growing issue. It allows customers to be banned if they are found to have harassed officials, coaches, or players. The operator also reserves the right, at its discretion, to ban bettors who violate the policy. 

The move comes just days before the 2026 Winter Olympics are set to kick off.

BetMGM Sets Zero-Tolerance Policy

The operators created a new section in their terms and conditions to specifically address athlete harassment. The operator ensured the change was well-communicated and that they would not hesitate to enact it when necessary. 

“BetMGM maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward harassment of sports officials, coaches, athletes, or any other individuals connected to sporting events. Any player using the Services who engages in abusive, threatening, defamatory, or harassing conduct of any kind toward sports officials, coaches, athletes, or any other individuals connected to sporting events may have their account suspended or permanently terminated, at BetMGM’s sole discretion.” The terms now read.

Change Comes Ahead of Major Amateur Events

The timing of BetMGM’s was far from random, as the next few months will feature two of the country’s most significant amateur betting events. 

The first is the 2026 Winter Olympics, which will take place in Italy. The number of events and athletes provides bettors with numerous opportunities to get in on the action, which can lead to more athletes falling victim to harassment. That includes last summer, when Olympic Gold Medalist Gabby Thomas faced harassment at a grand slam event. The incident led FanDuel to ban one bettor who claimed that harassing athletes helped him win parlays.

The other upcoming event is the NCAA Tournament, which begins next month. The tournament actually saw a drop in harassment complaints during last year’s tournament, though the drop mostly came from the women’s tournament.

Impact of BetMGM’s Ban Will be Limited

While BetMGM is being rightfully celebrated for its stance on athlete harassment, the impact of its actions will be limited.

Most US sportsbooks have condoned the harassment of athletes by angry bettors but have done little to address the issue. That means a bettor banned by BetMGM could move to another platform and continue targeting athletes. While the U.S. legal system can protect victims of harassment, favorable verdicts are often difficult to obtain. That’s especially true for amateur athletes, the majority of whom lack the large salaries of the pros.

Sportsbooks usually target bettors who harass athletes over lost wagers. Bettors who place wagers often and consistently lose end up generating a large chunk of the profits sportsbooks see. That means they have an incentive to retain those customers, which could lead to bans being used only in the most extreme situations.