Wyoming Sports Regulator Takes Aim at Athlete Harassment

The Cowboy State is about to wrangle in harassment against athletes.

The Wyoming Gaming Commission (WGC) has updated its definition of harassment. The change also allows the regulator to ban anyone found harassing athletes from sports betting. The goal of the change is to help protect the state’s college athletes.

According to the WGC, harassment now includes verbal, written, and electronic threats. It also covers any sharing of lewd or obscene statements made towards athletes. Any bettor who committed these acts will be added to the state’s involuntary exclusion list.

Wyoming’s decision to implement a ban for bettors over harassment is something few other states have done. As of today, only Ohio and West Virginia have similar rules in place.

Changes Are Alternative to Ban on Player Props

Unlike many other US sports betting markets, Wyoming does not have any pro sports franchises. That means the majority of fans are invested in the state’s college teams and their stars. 

Since college athletics are king in Wyoming, the WGC has resisted calls from the NCAA to ban college player prop betting. The NCAA has noticed a rise in the harassment of college athletes, and player prop bets are believed to be the driving factor. While markets have begun to comply with the request, the popularity of betting on Wyoming college teams has caused the state to hesitate to follow suit.

The WGC hopes its recent changes will help curb the problem without giving up the popular bet type. They hope that the threat of a lifetime ban and expanded definition of harassment will help keep angry bettors in check. 

If Wyoming’s tactic works, it could lead to many other states following suit. While some have already banned college player props, others have been dragging their feet as they look for alternatives.