West Virginia lawmakers are on the precipice of granting the West Virginia Lottery Commission the power to ban those who harass athletes, coaches, officials or personnel from sports betting in the state.
Bad Behavior Will Draw a Foul
Now that online sportsbooks in the United States have become commonplace in many states and jurisdictions, passion for one’s home team is sometimes usurped by an obsession for winning at all costs because money is on the line. This can lead to bad behavior that crosses the line and puts players, coaches and even officials at risk.
The West Virginia legislature has taken notice and is being proactive by taking measures to remediate this problem occurring at the college level. The legislation, brought forth by Delegate Shawn Fluharty, comes in the form of HB 4700 and grants power to the West Virginia Lottery Commission to enforce a zero-tolerance policy towards harassment of players, coaches and officials.
The bill had overwhelming support in the House of Delegates with a 90-1 vote in its favor. The Senate amended the bill slightly and it passed by an 89-5 margin. The bill is now only a signature away from becoming law and Governor Jim Justice is certain to sign it once it reaches his desk.
The West Virginia Lottery Commission can levy charges of misdemeanors or felonies against the perpetrators related to assault and/or battery on the players and staff. It also has the power to relegate violators to an excluded persons list should they categorize them as a threat to players, staff, or officials at the college level.
Those accused of such behavior, and placed on one of the blacklist categories, can request a hearing to have their case adjudicated and appeal to get the ban removed.
Ohio Leads the Way
West Virginia is following Ohio’s lead, a state that has already incorporated a measure similar to this one. The Buckeye State took action after the University of Dayton’s men’s basketball coach, Anthony Grant, was outraged after a game in January 2023 when his players were forced to listen to vile fans screaming at them after watching a 14-point halftime lead disappear, leading to a one-point loss.
Grant was quoted at his press conference after that game, saying, “I have to say something because I think it’s just necessary at this point. You know, these young men, we’re asking them to sacrifice quite a bit for us to be able to do what we do and enjoy what we enjoy. So, I’m just asking all the Flyer fans just to understand that we’re dealing with 18-, 21-, 22-year-olds, and this is about them. This is about them. Alright?”
He ended by saying, “They have families. They don’t deserve that. Mental health is real. So, if you’re a Flyer fan, I ask you just to understand what you’re dealing with, with young people. Alright? Take a step back, and reevaluate your priorities. And if you can’t, we don’t need you. We don’t need you.”
Following that, Governor Mike DeWine signed a bill less than six months later that gave the Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) a means to combat those unruly and abusive fans but also banned college player prop betting.
A spokesperson for the OCCC considers the bill a mandate for that body to protect all persons involved in college athletics and stated, “Making threats against athletes is unacceptable and threatens the integrity of sports gaming.”
“Existing Ohio law already has penalties for this type of behavior, and lawmakers have now given us additional tools to address these situations,” Jessica Franks, director of communications for the OCCC, said in a statement.
