Why punishment needs to be issued quickly

Game 1 - I say a bad word. No one reports me. I do not get punished or warned.

Game 2 - I say the same bad word. Someone reports me. I do get punished or warned.

That is called inconsistently punishing. The socially accepted norms are dynamic from game to game.

League needs to issue punishment both consistently and immediately. By issuing punishments instantly, the consistency naturally improves.

Game 1 - I say a bad word. I immediately get punished or warned.

Notice how not only is there a reduction in total unacceptable language, There is no inconsistency of punishment.

By improving the rate of punishment: total toxicity is reduced, clarity of rules is improved, and consistency of enforcement improved.