West Virginia Legislator Taking Aim At Sports Betting Harassment

Mike Watters-USA TODAY SportsA new West Virginia bill will give the Lottery Commission power to ban sports bettors for harassmentThose found displaying patterns of harassment may be banned from participating in West Virginia sports bettingDelegate Shawn Fluharty (D-Ohio) is sponsoring the bill

One West Virginia Delegate is taking aim at sports bettors who are found harassing or showing a harmful pattern of conduct directed at individuals involved in a sporting event.

Delegate Shawn Fluharty (D-Ohio) has introduced a bill (HB 4700) that would allow the West Virginia Lottery Commission to ban individuals from sports betting in the state if they’re found harassing athletes, coaches, or officials at a sporting event.

West Virginia would be the latest state to adopt a bill allowing their gaming regulators to ban sports bettors for their conduct. Neighboring Ohio approved a measure last year that allows the Ohio Casino Control Commission similar power to keep its athletes and coaches safe from harassment.

Just Look to Social Media

The proliferation of sports betting has led to increased numbers of harassment incidents for sporting events either in person or on social media. A simple scroll on social media after a West Virginia University or Marshall game provides plenty of examples of why this bill is necessary, Fluharty told Sports Betting Dime.

“I believe our very own Pat McAfee has stated on many occasions the threats he received as a player, and that was prior to sports betting being legal. The state has now legalized sports betting and we, as a state, have an obligation to protect athletes, coaches, etc. participating in events. I have also spoken to representatives of the NCAA who are in support of legislation protecting athletes. It is my understanding that the NCAA is currently conducting a survey of athletes which will also give us a better understanding of how prevalent these threats are,” he said.

Fluharty introduced his bill on Jan. 15 and it was transferred to the House Judiciary committee. He introduced a similar bill in 2023, but it was not approved.

Currently, the West Virginia Lottery Commission can exclude players from entering gaming areas or gaming facilities for certain types of conduct. However, this bill will add harassment or harmful patterns of conduct as part of the criteria for sports betting exclusion.

“This just adds another enforcement tool. Obviously, social media tends to be where this conduct takes place, however, the bill is not limited to conduct on social media,” he said.

Those who are banned will be allowed to have due process with the lottery commission before the action goes into effect, Fluharty noted.

States Needs Increased Communication to Limit Harassment

Bordering Ohio included a similar sports betting harassment provision in its 2024-2025 FY budget, which allows state regulators to permanently ban or place sports bettors on an exclusionary list if they’re found to be threatening athletes over a sporting event.

It was the first ever such provision approved by a state.

There’s nothing currently stopping an individual on Ohio’s sports betting ban list from making the short trip to West Virginia to participate in sports betting, Fluharty noted.

“If an individual is banned in Ohio, they can easily cross the border and participate in sports betting in West Virginia. We need stronger communication between states on consumer protections and in this instance, athlete protections for our laws to have a meaningful impact.

Ohio Casino Control Commission Executive Director Matt Schuler called for action in January 2023 after he became aware of several incidents of state bettors threatening members of the University of Dayton’s men’s basketball team.

The incident Schuler addressed came from a January basketball game involving the Dayton Flyers. As reported by Cincinnati.com, Head Coach Anthony Grant called out individuals who threatened members of his roster after the team lost 63-62 to Virginia Commonwealth after leading by 14 at halftime.

“You know, these young men, we’re asking them to sacrifice quite a bit for us to be able to do what we do and enjoy what we enjoy. So I’m just asking all the Flyer fans just to understand that we’re dealing with 18-, 21-, 22-year-olds, and this is about them. This is about them. Alright? So those of us that love the Flyers – which is the vast majority of our fanbase – we appreciate you. Alright? But if this is about anything else that doesn’t relate to what’s in the best interest of the kids, what’s in the best interest of this university and this proud program and this community that loves the Flyers,” he said during his press conference.