Key Takeaways
- Fanatics has launched a Bad Actor Program to combat betting-related harassment.
- Customers who threaten or harass athletes, coaches, or officials could face permanent sportsbook bans.
- The initiative was developed with Integrity Compliance 360 (IC360) and Signify Group.
- Fanatics hopes the program encourages broader industry adoption.
Fanatics Sportsbook has announced a new effort to address one of the fastest-growing issues in regulated sports betting: online harassment directed at athletes, coaches, and officials.
The company’s new Bad Actor Program, created in partnership with Integrity Compliance 360 (IC360) and Signify Group, is designed to identify customers who engage in abusive behavior connected to sports betting. Individuals found to have threatened or harassed participants could face account suspensions or permanent bans from the sportsbook.
The initiative represents one of the industry’s most comprehensive attempts to discourage betting-related abuse through direct enforcement rather than broader betting restrictions.
New Monitoring System Targets Online Abuse
The program combines social media monitoring with user reporting to identify abusive behavior tied to sporting events.
Signify Group’s Threat Matrix technology continuously scans public online conversations for threatening or abusive messages directed toward athletes, coaches, officials, and teams. Individuals who receive abusive direct messages can also submit those communications for review.
When reports are received, Signify evaluates the severity of the conduct and investigates the most serious incidents. If activity appears to violate criminal laws, supporting evidence can be forwarded to law enforcement agencies.
Verified offenders may then be added to IC360’s ProhiBet Bad Actor database, allowing participating sportsbooks to take action against those customers.
Repeat Offenders Could Face Permanent Bans
Unlike traditional responsible gaming tools that focus on wagering activity, the Bad Actor Program is centered on customer conduct away from the sportsbook itself.
Once an individual has been identified as engaging in betting-related harassment, participating operators can suspend or permanently close sportsbook accounts.
The goal is not only to punish abusive behavior after it occurs but also to discourage future misconduct by creating meaningful consequences for those who target athletes and officials online.
If additional sportsbooks join the initiative, repeat offenders could find themselves restricted across multiple regulated betting platforms instead of simply creating a new account elsewhere.
Industry Cooperation Could Strengthen Athlete Protections
Fanatics has positioned the program as an industry-wide solution rather than a platform-specific policy.
By encouraging other sportsbooks to participate, the company hopes to create a more unified response to betting-related harassment. Shared enforcement could make it significantly more difficult for abusive customers to continue targeting athletes while reinforcing expectations for responsible behavior across regulated sports betting.
Although no system is likely to eliminate online abuse entirely, coordinated action among operators could provide stronger protections than isolated enforcement efforts.
Alternative to Restricting Betting Markets
The announcement comes as professional sports leagues continue debating how best to address harassment tied to legalized sports betting.
Some organizations have proposed limiting or eliminating certain betting markets, particularly player props, as a way to reduce abuse directed at athletes. Fanatics’ new initiative offers a different approach by focusing enforcement on the individuals responsible rather than restricting wagering options for all customers.
Whether additional sportsbooks adopt similar policies remains to be seen, but the launch of the Bad Actor Program signals a growing emphasis on accountability within the regulated sports betting industry.
If broadly adopted, collaborative enforcement efforts could become an important part of improving player safety while promoting a more respectful betting environment for everyone involved.
