WNBPA executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson criticized the NBA after WNBA players were left out of a joint memo on betting-related harassment.
The NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, and MLS sent a memo to state gaming regulators Tuesday on betting-related harassment of athletes. The players unions for all five leagues joined them on it.
The Women's National Basketball Players Association did not.
WNBPA executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson responded in a statement to Front Office Sports, first reported by FOS' Colin Salao. Her statement tied the union's objection to incidents involving its own members that played out in public.
"It is deeply disappointing that, given the very public and troubling incidents of betting-related harassment experienced by our members over the past several seasons," Jackson said, "the NBA determined that WNBA players did not warrant inclusion in a joint position statement intended to address this very issue."
The NBA owns 42% of the WNBA, according to Front Office Sports. WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert reports to NBA commissioner Adam Silver.
WNBPA Has Pressed League Over Player Harassment
On Sept. 4, the league announced that Engelbert will retire at the end of the year. ESPN reported the retirement takes effect Dec. 31.
Two months earlier, on July 21, league and union leadership met by videoconference about racist, hateful, and abusive messages directed at players. ESPN reported that the union requested the call.
Engelbert and Leon Newsome, the head of security for the NBA and WNBA, represented the league. WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike, Napheesa Collier, Breanna Stewart, and Elizabeth Williams were among the players on it, and Jackson attended as well.
The two sides released a joint statement the next day. The league committed to adding security resources and said it would work with the union on collaborations with outside organizations. Steps discussed in the meeting included pursuing accountability from tech companies and more direct communication between the WNBA and law enforcement.
The league introduced its "No Space for Hate" platform last season. It includes AI technology players can use to filter hateful comments. When harassment escalates, the league's security office opens an investigation.
Betting Has Already Created Issues Around WNBA Players
Gambling came up again a week later.
On July 29, the WNBA's official X account posted a video from All-Star Weekend in Chicago, showing what seemed to be Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese betting $400 on the Dallas Wings-Atlanta Dream game that evening.
The league later removed the post, but Atlanta ultimately won 82-81.
The following day, a WNBA spokesperson stated that players receive annual training on the league's rules prohibiting betting on WNBA games. Neither player faced discipline over the wager.
Under Article 14, Section 5 of the new collective bargaining agreement, the commissioner can fine, suspend, or disqualify a player who bets on a WNBA game.
FanDuel and DraftKings are both official sports betting partners of the WNBA.
Other Players Unions Have Pushed Back on Betting Harassment
Tuesday's memo was not the first time those five unions had acted together.
On April 30, those five unions jointly submitted comments to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission on prediction markets.
In the filing, the unions said players and their families had dealt with more threats and harassment from gamblers, both online and in person. The filing pointed to a November 2025 survey by The Athletic, where 78% of MLB players said legalized sports betting had changed the way fans treat them.
The MLBPA has since pushed to eliminate player prop bets in its labor talks with MLB.
Betting cases have reached the NBA directly. The league banned former Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter for life in April 2024. Former Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier was arrested in October 2025 as part of a federal investigation into prop-bet manipulation.
Regulators Begin Addressing Athlete Harassment
State regulators have started acting on their own.
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission launched a program called Bet on Respect this month. It lets leagues, players associations, college athletic programs, venues, and athletes report suspected harassment.
Bettors who deliberately harass or threaten athletes may be added to the state's involuntary exclusion list per 205 CMR 152. All licensed operators in Massachusetts are required to enforce this exclusion, and those placed on the list have 30 days to appeal.
Jackson has previously confronted the league office regarding harassment. On Sept. 10, 2024, she released a statement criticizing Engelbert's response to a CNBC question about racist and homophobic attacks on players. Jackson emphasized at that time that such abuse demands urgent action.
Engelbert has submitted a list of internal and external candidates to WNBA owners and Silver, according to The IX Sports' Howard Megdal. Silver will make the final decision on the next WNBA commissioner.
