Five major U.S. sports leagues and their players' associations have joined forces to request stronger protections for athletes, coaches, and staff who face threats or harassment from sports bettors. The Associated Press obtained a letter sent this week to gambling regulators in 35 states and the District of Columbia. The letter was signed by the NFL, Major League Baseball, the NBA, Major League Soccer, and the NHL, along with their respective players' unions. It urged regulators to create rules that would permanently ban individuals found to have threatened or "abusively harassed" any professional or amateur athlete, coach, official, or team personnel from placing sports bets. The letter highlighted an increasing concern over the dangers athletes and sports professionals face from individuals who lose bets and retaliate with threatening or harassing messages. It acknowledged that the growth of legal, state-regulated sports betting has given fans more ways to engage with sports, but it has also led to harmful consequences for those involved in professional sports. The letter noted that many people who lose bets now send threatening messages to players, coaches, and their families through social media or in person, creating a serious safety issue. The letter emphasized that threatening the safety of athletes or their families over a sports bet is a serious ethical and legal issue that cannot be tolerated. It called on state and local leaders to take action to protect all participants in sports, regardless of their level of competition. The letter pointed out that states like Ohio, West Virginia, Louisiana, and Wyoming already have policies in place that exclude "bad actors" from licensed sports betting platforms. However, it noted that the remaining 35 states and the District of Columbia lack similar protections, especially since the Supreme Court's 2018 decision allowed for the expansion of legal sports betting across the country. The sports leagues and players' associations are urging all state gaming commissions and lawmakers to quickly adopt consistent rules and legislation to address this growing problem. They are also asking sports betting operators to permanently revoke the betting privileges of anyone found to have harassed or threatened athletes, coaches, officials, or their families. The goal is to create a safer environment for everyone involved in sports, ensuring that the excitement of betting does not come at the cost of personal safety or well-being.