New York lawmakers are continuing to legislative action to protect amateur and professional athletes from harassment and harm.
The Empire State is considering a pair of anti-harassment bills that provide gambling-related penalties for individuals who harass athletes, officials, or coaches in the state.
Sen. Toby Stavisky is having his anti-harassment measure, Senate Bill 7482, reconsidered in 2026 as a carryover from the first year of New York’s two-year legislative session.
Stavisky’s bill proposes potential wagering ban
SB 7482 proposes amending New York’s racing, parimutuel wagering and breeding law to consider anyone “found to have harassed or shown a harmful pattern of conduct directed at amateur or professional athletes, coaches, officials or participants of a sports event” a prohibited sports bettor in the state. The piece of legislation covers any threats that are verbal, written or electronic and any conduct that “would cause a reasonable person to suffer substantial emotional distress,” fear for their safety, or the safety of another person.
Under SB 7482, the New York State Gaming Commission is required to notify any person who fails to adhere to the bill’s rules and is considered a prohibited sports bettor. The measure also allows a prohibited sports bettor to appeal the commission’s decision. The person must submit a written appeal contesting their designation as a banned bettor.
The original version of SB 7482 did not establish any standards for an individual to appeal.
A companion bill makes progress in New York
Assembly members in New York are considering a measure, Assembly Bill 7903, that resembles Stavisky’s piece of legislation. AB 7903 is also a carryover from the first year of New York’s two-year legislative session, with the measure being referred to the Assembly Racing and Wagering Committee last April and again earlier this month. The bill features the same language as SB 7482 and was also amended by lawmakers to include an appeal process.
Stavisky’s measure awaits further movement, but AB 7903 is garnering support after the Assembly Racing and Wagering Committee advanced the bill with a unanimous vote. The 10-0 vote in favor of the measure advanced the bill to its third reading, the final stage of its legislative process in the Assembly. A third reading allows lawmakers to discuss and vote on the bill. If passed during the third reading, AB 7903 will head to the Senate.
Previous anti-harassment bills tied to gambling & athletes
In 2023, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed a state budget bill that included language allowing the Ohio Casino Control Commission to hand out bans to persons who harass athletes, referees, coaches and officials for gambling-related purposes. Ohio became the first state to implement a policy that provides regulatory penalties for individuals who harass athletes.
West Virginia took similar action after Del. Shawn Fluharty introduced House Bill 4700, a measure that bans a person from sports betting if found to have “harassed or shown a harmful pattern of conduct directed at a sports official, coach or any participants of a sporting event.” The bill was introduced in 2024 and signed by former Gov. Jim Justice that same year.
Wyoming regulators implemented a similar policy after voting to ban bettors who are found guilty of harassing athletes. The Wyoming Gaming Commission changed its regulations to provide a clear definition of athlete harassment and to place any individuals who are found guilty of such harassment toward athletes on the state’s involuntary exclusion list.
