Alert System by U.S. Integrity for Athletes May Safeguard Against Harassment by Gamblers
College athletes are frequently targeted with hateful messages and threats by frustrated sports gamblers, according to U.S. Integrity. These disturbing messages range from anger and vitriol to physical threats, even death threats.
To address this issue, U.S. Integrity launched Athlete Alert - an anonymous tipline for student-athletes. The tipline has seen "tens" of reports each month, but Holt believes that hundreds or even thousands of such harassing messages are likely sent to athletes each month.
Athlete Alert aims to serve as a safe space for athletes to share their experiences, allowing them to submit anonymous text messages easily. U.S. Integrity then evaluates these reports, which can help authorities create better protections for athletes.
In response to growing concerns over athlete welfare, several states have proposed or enacted legislation aimed at protecting athletes from harassment by sports bettors. For example, Ohio has legislation in place that bars bettors from wagering if they're caught harassing players, coaches, or officials. Additionally, West Virginia's 2024 legislative session may include strong consideration of similar legislation.
One of the challenges in addressing this issue is identifying the bettors who harass athletes. Often, these individuals use burner social media accounts to deliver their abusive messages. If more states enact strong legislation, it's possible that major social media companies may collaborate with U.S. Integrity to help uncover the identities behind these burner accounts.
Harassment of college athletes has become a significant problem due to the rise of legal sports betting and the nature of prop bets, which focus on specific player statistics or singular events within games. Studies and NCAA reports highlight an increase in such abuse, and between 10-15% of Division 1 athletes have reported experiencing harassment from wagerers placing prop bets on their performances.
In response, sports psychologists and NCAA officials have expressed concerns about the potential mental health impact on athletes, as well as the compromise of game integrity due to these betting practices.
- Athletes who are subjected to harassment by frustrated sports gamblers can now report their experiences anonymously through Athlete Alert.
- The reports received on Athlete Alert have led Holt to believe that hundreds or even thousands of disturbing messages are sent to athletes each month.
- In an effort to protect athletes from harassment by sports bettors, several states have proposed or enacted legislation that bars bettors from wagering if they're caught harassing players, coaches, or officials.
- A key challenge in addressing this issue is identifying the bettors who harass athletes, as they often use burner social media accounts to deliver their abusive messages.
- Studies and NCAA reports show that harassment of college athletes, driven by the rise of legal sports betting and the nature of prop bets, has increased, with between 10-15% of Division 1 athletes reporting experiences of harassment from wagerers placing prop bets on their performances.
