In the digital age, where athletes connect with fans and followers in real-time, a dark side is emerging, particularly for female athletes. A dangerous mix of legalized sports betting and unchecked social media abuse is leaving players vulnerable to relentless hate, threats, and harassment. The women in sport are increasingly becoming the scapegoats of gamblers’ losses. Of course, it’s not limited to one sport, as the disturbing trends emerging across tennis, football, and track, the urgency to act is growing louder. Coco Gauff, Katie Boulter are among the tennis stars to address the horrifying issue, but certainly, it’s not limited to one sport alone. Women’s football stars Alessia Russo and Lauren James have also raised similar concerns in recent days.
Coco Gauff urges accountability from social media platforms amid disturbing abuse trend
Coco Gauff. Image via: Getty Images
World No. 2 Coco Gauff spoke her mind without hesitation when asked about the state of online abuse in women’s tennis. “It’s the worst you can get,” she said during the German Open in Berlin. “Death threats, to your family, to yourself… racist comments… n*dity—things like that. It’s a gross kind of thing that we have going on in tennis.”According to the WTA’s latest report, in collaboration with the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and tech company Signify Group, more than 8,000 abusive or threatening messages were sent to female tennis players in 2024 alone, many of them stemming from angry gamblers. Law enforcement had to get involved in 15 cases. Alarmingly, five players received over 25% of the abuse, and 40% of the threats were betting-related.Gauff acknowledged that players have grown used to such toxicity, but she urged that it shouldn’t mean it’s acceptable. Also, there’s this harsh lingering issue, “You can block [abusers], but they just go and make a new account,” she said, calling for social media platforms to ban repeat offenders using identifiers like phone numbers and emails.
Katie Boulter reveals death threats from losing bettors
Katie Boulter. Image via: Nathan Stirk/ Getty Images
British No. 1 Katie Boulter’s recent French Open win was marred by an avalanche of hate. Despite winning her match, messages flooded her inbox: “Hope you get cancer,” read one. Another warned of damage to her grandmother’s grave. A third explicitly blamed her for lost gambling money.“These things have become the norm,” Boulter told BBC Sport. She showed how damaging such abuse can be, especially for younger players. “You don’t know if this person is nearby… or if they know where you live,” she added, speaking to the growing fear athletes face beyond just their careers.Data from Signify revealed that 77% of private message abuse received by players came from gamblers.
Alessia Russo and Lauren James speak out as footballers go offline for safety
The crisis extends beyond tennis. England striker Alessia Russo shared that she and many of her Lionesses teammates are now avoiding social media entirely during major tournaments to protect their mental health. It’s “damaging,” she said. “I got sucked into it more when I was younger,” she said. Now, she prefers to have others manage her Instagram so she can focus on football.Her teammate, Chelsea’s Lauren James, echoed similar sentiments. “The abuse never really stops,” James admitted. “Sometimes, it’s not even about my performance. It could be because someone lost at FIFA with my card.”
WTA and ITF call for gambling industry accountability
The WTA and ITF are now urging gambling operators to step up. In 2024, 10 of the most abusive social media accounts, mostly linked to bettors, were responsible for 12% of all threats. A WTA-ITF spokesperson stated, “Given the clear evidence… we are calling for a constructive dialogue with the gambling industry.”Although betting revenue supports tech like Threat Matrix, used to identify and hide abusive content, the organizations insist that ethical responsibility must outweigh commercial gain. “Everyone—betting operators, social media platforms, governing bodies, players and law enforcers—has a role in making the online space safer,” the spokesperson added.
Bettor abuse has been a major concern for athletes, and it’s not waning
This pattern of abuse is surfacing across sports. Olympic sprinter Gabby Thomas was heckled by a man who later boasted online about it after winning a bet; he was subsequently banned from FanDuel. In England, 13% of all sports gamblers wager on tennis, and 16% spend over £200 monthly, suggesting a high emotional investment when bets go wrong.In the U.S., the NCAA revealed that 12% of social media threats during March Madness were gambling-related, some even targeting student-athletes and referees.Also Read: Will Jeanie Buss Stay in Charge of the Lakers Despite $10 Billion Sale to Mark Walter? Exploring Los Angeles’ New EraAs sports betting becomes more accessible, especially online, its side effects are becoming harder to ignore. For many female athletes, the price of fame now includes death threats, stalking, and emotional trauma— all because someone lost a bet.
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