Sports Betting is Hurting the Athletic Industry

Imagine, you had just finished playing in a physically and mentally exhausting, straining 60-minute battle against some of the best basketball players in the world. For NBA players like Jayson Tatum, it is just one of the many games he would have to play in the NBA’s grueling regular season. However, once he opens his phone in the locker room, he isn’t showered with praise; instead, he is bombarded with death threats and racial abuse on all social media platforms.

Unfortunately, due to the surge of online sports betting, that is the reality each player of the NBA lives in. According to New York Knick Josh Hart, he constantly gets threats if somebody’s bet fails, saying, “I get everything. People say ‘I hope you die’. They wish injury. Racial stuff.”

Not only does this harassment occur in the NBA, but it occurs in nearly every other sports league, such as the ATP and WTA, the men’s and women’s tennis associations. Taylor Fritz, the number one American tennis player and the fifth-ranked player in the world, is a victim of these constant threats as well. When interviewed by Tennis World, he explained that players “get 50 to 100 death threats after every match you lose.”

Betting on players or teams has remained a constant throughout sports, but as gambling has rapidly grown and seeped into people’s daily lives, it has become easier and easier to place bets. Additionally, the rise of the internet and social media has led to sports betting’s astronomical rise. There are at least 30 betting apps that are fully operational and used by thousands, if not millions, in the United States. Meanwhile, social media apps have made it easier than ever for people to voice their frustrations toward players, even giving them the ability to message them directly.

It seems that anytime you watch an NBA, MLB, or NFL game, you’re flooded with advertisements about the beauties of sports betting and how fun and profitable it is. This is because every popular sports league in America, the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, NASCAR, UFC, and more all have partnerships with multiple sports betting companies. Additionally, many MLB and NBA teams have been known to advertise certain lines and props on their social media accounts, such as X. This proves that teams and leagues have prioritized money over the safety and security of their players.

Getting death threats daily obviously takes a toll on the players, but their families also suffer from it, with many of the players’ spouses and children being involved in the online hate as well. These threats mentally strain the players and can cause them to not play at their best, as they are worried about their own and their family’s safety.

It is crucial that sports leagues and teams distance themselves from gambling companies, since it not only harms their players, but their fans as well. Now, it is so incredibly easy for people to make parlays, even if they are in an area where sports betting is illegal or they are underage. In places such as California, where sports betting is prohibited, many residents still find loopholes, like simply turning on a VPN and changing their digital location. Or, for minors, they can just as easily lie about their age on the apps, who, of course, can’t actually be bothered to check.

Although gambling can be seen as a fun hobby and a quick and easy way to earn money, many people do not understand that it is an addiction. For every lucky soul who made millions off of one parlay, there are thousands of others who have lost just as much. Gambling addictions can lead to financial loss, fraud, and damage a person’s mental well-being and relationships.

In order to protect their players and viewers, it is imperative that sports leagues stop accepting sponsorships from gambling apps. Additionally, companies need to be held accountable, clearly stating the potential consequences of betting and stopping minors and people living in gambling-free areas from participating. Although superstars like Jayson Tatum and Taylor Fritz are living comfortably, they and their families still deserve a life without threats.