Sports betting has become one of the WNBA‘s fastest-growing business partners. Natasha Cloud says the league now has to confront one of its fastest-growing problems.
The Chicago Sky veteran urged WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert to act against harassment of players by sports bettors, as abuse has become common across the league with the rise of legalized gambling.
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Cloud commented to Front Office Sports before Chicago’s game against Seattle Storm on Wednesday, days after Aces guard Chelsea Gray shared a racist message she received from an apparent bettor after Sunday’s loss to Indiana Fever.
Gray’s post became the latest example of a growing concern across professional sports, where athletes have increasingly described receiving abusive messages and threats tied to gambling outcomes. While the issue has affected leagues across the sports landscape, WNBA players have repeatedly raised concerns that league leadership has not done enough to publicly address it.
Cloud said Gray’s decision to share the message should force the issue into the spotlight.
“I think as one of the main faces of our league, too, it creates a dialogue that needs to be had. It puts pressure on Cathy, who we’ve been begging to step up for us in these spaces,” Cloud said, according to Front Office Sports. “Now I think it demands her to actually take some initiative and to do something about it. I don’t know what it is that she’s going to do, but I also think that simple statements of not condoning s**t is also really good for public relations as well.”
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Cloud stated online abuse is now a routine part of league play, increasing with the growth of legalized sports betting.
Her comments come during a week when player safety is a key issue in the WNBA. Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas said she and her family received racist messages and death threats after her suspension for hitting Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark on June 24.
Chelsea Gray’s experience added another example. After sharing the racist message she received, Hilton Grand Vacations announced that the employee responsible had been identified and terminated for violating company policies.
Cloud urged NBA Commissioner Adam Silver that both leagues benefit financially from expanding legalized sports betting and share responsibility in protecting players.
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“We got NBA players being followed out in public because of not hitting parlays,” Cloud said. “I get that it’s really great for our league. It’s great for the business that is the NBA and the WNBA, and it helps expand. But at the end of the day, your job, your first priority is on the protection of the players, the protection of your investment into your players, and the safety surrounding the players.
“So for both Adam and Cathy, there still has to be dialogue around this as our leagues continue to expand and as we continue to navigate what this betting world is. ‘Cause we want to be in it, it’s great for our league, but also within it, we have to be protected as human beings when we take these jerseys off.”
Cloud’s comments come at a time when the growth of sports betting has resulted in expanded NBA and WNBA sportsbook partnerships and increased betting content in broadcasts and digital coverage. Meanwhile, players report more abusive messages and threats from bettors after games. A proper solution may be required soon.
