Fanatics Sportsbook has begun permanently banning users who abuse athletes online. The move follows a new initiative that aims to identify and ban “bad actors.”
Users who will be identified as “bad actors” will be added to a database of sportsbooks which can restrict accounts. Customers will be monitored across X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube. Athletes, who will receive any direct abusive messages, can also submit for investigation.
Matt King, CEO of Fanatics Betting and Gaming, said:
The scheme falls in line with our core values at Fanatics – respect and tolerance for the athletes and coaches that play the games that we love. We encourage other operators to join the initiative because there is no sports betting potential loss that should embolden a sports betting customer to threaten or harass an athlete online.
Fanatics plans to work with IC360 integrity specialist social media intelligence provider Signify Group to find and identify customers who post offending content on social media platforms.
Jonathan Hirshler, CEO of Signify Group, added:
Over the last few years, many of our global sports clients have been calling for betting and gaming operators to tackle this growing problem head on. This is a clear message to anyone who believes threatening, harassing or abusing athletes online is simply part of being a fan: it is not.
Fanatics Sportsbook will be the first legal sports betting member of the ‘Bad Actor Programme’.
