The Washington Post last weekend ran a long story about the troubling dangers that online social media platforms, combined with expansion of legalized sports betting, are causing today’s professional athletes, including NFL players.
“The problem of online threats and harassment of athletes by gamblers appears to have become more widespread, more specific and more sinister, alarming many in the sports industry, not the least of all those on the receiving end” the Post stated.
It was not unusual in our playing days for us at dinner in a restaurant or other social setting to receive occasional complaints or verbal abuse from fans who bet on a close game that we lost because of a missed kick or interception. However, these days the abuse is much more threatening because it is ubiquitous and anonymous through social media.
“’Kill yourself’ shows up five days a week on my social media accounts after a game,” says MLB Washington Nationals player Nathaniel Lowe, who has won a World Series and a Golden Glove. “That’s what gambling has brought into the game.”
We as players were warned in training camp about the possibility of gamblers trying to get inside information on team injuries or other medical news before a game. However, that type of face-to-face contact was limited compared to the threats and malicious comments made against players and their families by losing gamblers and other disgruntled fans these days.
A landmark 2018 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that changed the sports culture expanded legalized gambling beyond Las Vegas to all 50 states. It is estimated that Americans wagered $147.91 billion on sports last year.
“Gambling is definitely the main reason that the abuse of athletes has increased,” says Lowe. “DraftKings sponsors broadcasts, and they have signage all over the stadium. BetMGM is all over the place. These big companies are obviously making a whole lot of money off the sports gambling industry.”
There is some movement in Congress to place guard rails and restrictions on this increased sports betting craze. The SAFE Bet Act was reintroduced last March which would limit advertising for sportsbooks and restrict the amount of money a gambler could wager legally during a specific period. However, Congress has so many other legislative matters that any chance this type of anti-gambling bill would advance this year is considered a long shot.
Yes, the money paid to active NFL players and other professional athletes in this era is much greater than we NFL alums received. That is undeniably true. Yet, we know there are trade-offs in nearly every aspect of life. The expansion of sports betting and the resulting abuse that today’s players experience is something we as alumni did not have to endure to nearly the same degree.
We at NFL Alumni are both relieved we did not have this widespread abuse but yet concerned about this growing threat to our great sport.
