Posted on: February 5, 2026, 02:55h.
Last updated on: February 5, 2026, 03:00h.
- BetMGM changes terms of service to better protect athletes from gambler harassment
- Company said it aims to better promote integrity
BetMGM is taking concrete action to protect athletes, coaches, team or league personnel from abuse from gamblers, including the suspension of a customer’s account if the customer is found to have used harassing and abusive language.
The company announced it is updating its terms of service. Previous terms allowed for account suspension for any lawful reason, including harassment, but the change in policy provides more clarity around sports integrity and player safety, the company said in a statement.
Threats From Gamblers
This past summer, for example, we wrote about comments made by Boston Red Sox pitcher Lucas Giolito, who talked about threats made to him and his girlfriend by angry gamblers after the right-handed pitcher had a rough outing in a 9-8 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. Giolito made the comments on a podcast after a meeting with MLB commissioner Rob Manfred.
“It’s getting worse, by the year, by the week, by the day,” he told the podcast then. “So, I know that there’s very easy things you can do. You know you can go private on social media. You can block accounts. It only goes so far. One thing I said to Rob … is it going to take a player getting assaulted in front of their apartment building, by some disgruntled guy that lost a bet, for real action to be taken? Because, we have cybersecurity. We have all these things. The social media apps themselves, it’s usually Instagram and Twitter where this goes on, they don’t do anything.”
Protection for Athletes and Coaches
BetMGM said the update to its terms of service aligns with its heightened focus on responsible gambling initiatives, including educational messaging through GameSense at 10 football stadium across the U.S.
GameSense is a program that BetMGM has incorporated into its platforms that provides practical tips for customers around responsible play.
“We are unwavering in our commitment to sports integrity — and that commitment extends to safeguarding athletes, coaches and league personnel,” said Rhea Loney, BetMGM’s Chief Compliance Officer. “Our legal, regulated environment enables us to identify misconduct, investigate reports, and take action when necessary. Any confirmed instance of harassment will result in decisive measures, including account suspension.”
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