Massachusetts Gaming Commission Launches Bet On Respect to Ban Athlete Harassers
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) announced a new program on August 31, 2026, called Bet On Respect, designed to ban bettors who harass athletes from placing wagers with licensed Massachusetts sportsbooks and from accessing the state's casinos.
The initiative responds to a rise in incidents where athletes have faced abuse from bettors angry about game outcomes since the legalization of sports wagering.
How Bet On Respect Works
Bet On Respect allows league representatives, players' associations, college athletics programs, sports venues, and athletes themselves to report suspected harassment directly to the MGC.
The Commission has established a dedicated Athlete Harassment Submission Portal and an email address for reporting.
Once a report comes in, the MGC's Sports Wagering Division gathers evidence and compiles a report for the Investigations and Enforcement Bureau, which decides whether to act. Bettors found to have willfully harassed or threatened athletes face involuntary exclusion, using the same legal authority (205 CMR 152) the Commission already applies to other exclusion cases.
Anyone placed on the exclusion list is notified by first-class mail and has 30 days to appeal.
Commission Cites Rise In Abuse Since Legal Wagering Arrived
MGC Chair Jordan Maynard said the program targets a clear line between passionate fandom and abuse. "Good-natured cheering and jeering are acceptable and even expected at sporting events, but sports wagering is an activity for adults, and adults should know better than to cross the line into harassment," Maynard said.
"Athletes, officials, and others associated with games being wagered on deserve to be free of intimidation during and surrounding competition."
To promote the program, the Commission released a video featuring commissioners alongside players from the Boston Bruins, Boston Celtics, Boston Red Sox and New England Revolution, urging bettors not to target athletes over betting losses.
NCAA Data Shows Scale Of Athlete Abuse Tied To Betting
The MGC pointed to NCAA research showing 51% of Division 1 men's basketball student-athletes reported facing online abuse about their performance, with 46% of that abuse directly tied to gambling.
The Commission said the pattern helped justify a dedicated enforcement tool rather than relying solely on existing exclusion rules.
Bet On Respect already has the backing of the Boston Bruins, Boston Celtics, Boston Legacy FC, Boston Red Sox, New England Patriots and New England Revolution, along with the NCAA and Massachusetts sportsbook operators Bally Bet, BetMGM/MGM Springfield, Caesars, DraftKings, Encore Boston Harbor, Fanatics Betting and Gaming, FanDuel and Penn Entertainment/Plainridge Park Casino.
The MGC said it is working to add further partners to the program. The Commission already uses 205 CMR 152 to exclude self-identified problem gamblers from wagering platforms and casino floors; Bet On Respect extends that same regulatory mechanism to cover involuntary exclusions tied specifically to athlete harassment rather than voluntary self-exclusion requests.
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Support Resources Alongside Exclusion
The MGC said bettors placed on the exclusion list will also receive information on programs and support services for gambling-related harms, tying the enforcement action to the state's existing responsible gambling framework.
Massachusetts legalized retail and mobile sports wagering in 2023, and the state's licensed sportsbooks have operated under MGC oversight since launch.
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