The rise of legalized sports betting has led to a rise of online abuse that athletes have had to deal with while trying to perform on a daily basis in their respective sports.Fanatics Sportsbook, which has become the fastest-growing sportsbook in the United States, is trying to combat that social media abuse with a groundbreaking partnership announced on Thursday.Fanatics Sportsbook has partnered with Integrity Compliance 360, Inc.(IC360) and Signify Group to establish the Bad Actor Program, designed to tame online hostility toward athletes, which is ever-increasing across social platforms.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMA team member stands inside the Fanatics Sportsbook at Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, N.J., on Sept.
14, 2025.(Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)This important step in safeguarding the well-being of everyone involved in legalized sports betting will begin at the start of football season in the U.S., which comes at the start of college football in late August.IC360 will collaborate with Signify Group’s Threat Matrix service to monitor for targeted abusive and threatening content across multiple social platforms.
If problematic abuse and threats toward athletes, organizations and teams are detected, those individuals behind the accounts will be placed into IC360’s ProhiBet Bad Actor program.It’s a similar platform as IC360’s ProhiBet, which helps restrict wagering by athletes, coaches and trainers.The Bad Actor program will provide sportsbooks with the ability to restrict wagering by those who are threatening athletes and coaches.PRO TENNIS PLAYER REVEALS SCARY MESSAGE FROM SPORTS BETTOR: 'I WILL COME AFTER YOU'"This groundbreaking program will hold bettors accountable for threats made against players, coaches, and officials," Matt King, CEO of Fanatics Betting and Gaming, said in a statement.
"It falls in line with our core values at Fanatics — respect and tolerance for the athletes and coaches that play the games that ...