The Ohio Casino Control Commission on Wednesday banned an Ohio man from sports wagering in the state over alleged threats against Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider during the 2025 World Series.
The commission placed Blake Morgan of Thornville, Ohio, on its Sports Gaming Involuntary Exclusion List after an investigation tied the threats to bets on the series. Morgan denied making the threats, according to ESPN.
MLB notified the commission of the threats and provided witness testimony and evidence that regulators relied on in their decision. The case appears to be the first exclusion under a 2023 Ohio law that made the state the first to allow regulators to ban bettors who threaten people involved in sporting events.
“Sports gaming should be conducted responsibly, and any act that threatens harm or violence against sports participants because of wagering will not be tolerated,” OCCC Interim Executive Director Andromeda Morrison said in a statement. “The Commission remains committed to preserving the integrity of sports gaming in Ohio and will take appropriate action against individuals whose conduct violates Ohio law.”
The action comes about five weeks after MLB joined the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLS, along with their players’ associations, in a joint letter urging gaming regulators to permanently ban bettors who threaten or harass athletes, coaches and officials.
What the commission found
Morgan allegedly called MLB’s customer service line around Oct. 28, 2025, the night of Game 4 between the Dodgers and Blue Jays, according to commission records obtained by ESPN. During the call, Morgan allegedly threatened to go to the game and physically harm Schneider on live TV, and claimed to have the manager’s address.
MLB investigators traced the call to Morgan. An MLB security representative then spoke to him, and Morgan acknowledged gambling and making the call. He said he was “pissed off” about comments Schneider made in a press conference but had no plans to travel to Toronto or Los Angeles.
“Major League Baseball’s partnership was instrumental in bringing this matter before the Commission, and we appreciate MLB’s commitment to protecting the integrity of the game,” Morrison said.
MLB banned Morgan indefinitely from its venues and events two days after the game. At a June hearing, the OCCC played audio of calls it said Morgan made to MLB in November 2025 and March 2026 claiming “somebody that was visiting me made a phone call and it wasn’t me,” according to ESPN.
Morgan appealed in March but did not appear at the June hearing. It is unclear whether criminal charges have been filed against him.
What the exclusion means
Morgan is barred from entering any sports gaming facility in Ohio and from participating in the play or operation of sports wagering in the state, according to the OCCC’s release.
He is the third person on the Sports Gaming Involuntary Exclusion List, according to ESPN, joining former Alabama baseball coach Brad Bohannon and an Ohio man who allegedly used inside information from Bohannon to place bets.
The OCCC confirmed to LSR that Morgan is the first person placed on the list because of “threats of harm or violence.”
Ohio was the first state to empower its gaming regulator to ban bettors who threaten people involved in sporting events. The state later banned college player props to further protect athletes.
West Virginia and Louisiana have since passed bills that allow regulators to exclude bettors who harass athletes, with potential felony charges for offenders.
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission, meanwhile, launched “Bet on Respect,” a system backed by operators that lets leagues, players and the public report suspected harassment.
The leagues’ push to ban abusive bettors
The league published a letter last month urging for the industry to protect participants in sports. They are proposing mandatory lifetime bans, streamlined reporting mechanisms and operator accountability to stop harassment in sports.
“The safety and well-being of players, coaches, officials and their families must always come before a wager,” the letter said.
David Thomas, head of security for MLB, told the OCCC in June that harassment has spiked since states started legalizing sports betting in 2018, fielding an “innumerable number of cases” that extend to players’ families, too. “It’s awful,” he said.
MLB told ESPN that it commends the OCCC for its final order against Morgan and will continue to work with regulators “to protect those who work in our industry from unacceptable threats.”
