Last week, the five major men’s professional sports leagues in North America, along with their unions, sent a letter urging state regulators to tackle the rising harassment directed at players and staff.

Notably, the WNBA and NWSL were left out, drawing criticism, particularly towards the NBA for not including its partner league. On Thursday morning, nearly ten days after the initial correspondence, the NBA, WNBA, their unions, and the referees and coaches association issued a follow-up letter to state gaming regulators to “echo the calls” made in the original letter from September 15.

This letter, shared with The Athletic, reinforced the same regulatory actions proposed previously, including mandatory lifetime bans, streamlined reporting processes, and increased accountability for operators. “Members of our organisations are facing a notable rise in betting-related harassment and threats, usually coming from disgruntled bettors on the losing end of a wager,” the letter stated.

“This harassment takes many forms, ranging from loud outbursts in arenas or on the streets to violent threats made online or through social media. “While this behavior is primarily aimed at players and game participants, it can also extend to their families.

Such conduct is entirely unacceptable, and all stakeholders should commit to discouraging this behavior and enforcing consequences where possible.” Both letters have followed heightened calls from athletes across professional and collegiate sports to address the threats and harassment they face from unhappy bettors.

The NCAA initiated an anti-harassment campaign last March, and in February, the Big Ten Student-Athletes Issues Commission advocated for restrictions on prop bets in a letter to NCAA president Charlie Baker.