July 12, 2024 3 min read

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Fact-checked by Velimir Velichkov

Sports Betting Goes Through the Roof, Athletes Face Consequences

Athletes are frequently facing the consequences of the rising sports betting industry, dealing with threats and abuse, while gambling scandals involving coaches and players are keeping headlines

The undeniable rise of sports betting from an underground industry run by shady sportsbooks a few years ago to a mainstream enterprise with online wagering supported by omnipresent TV commercials has brought its fair share of problems at all levels, athletes included. 

In 2024, baseball took some of the biggest hits with several gambling scandals grabbing all the attention. One of the most prominent examples of high-profile gambling mishaps is tied to baseball icon Shohei Ohtani’s personal interpreter and friend, Ippei Mizuhara.

The interpreter, who pleaded guilty to stealing $17 million from the player to allegedly place no less than 19,000 bets over two years, could be facing 33 years in prison.

In an article for the Chicago Sun Times, Eldon Ham, an expert in sports, law and justice, analyzed the way gambling addiction, money, and desperation can ultimately make a person spiral “far out of control,” with serious effects on the integrity of sports

Last year, legal sports betting went up 28%, exceeding a staggering $119 billion. The amount, which goes over 15 states’ gross domestic product, is not expected to stop growing.

However, as expected but not yet properly prevented, the newly found money and the fast rise of the industry triggered a series of unwanted consequences. 

With gambling so transparently shown everywhere you look, lots of novice and amateur bettors are stimulated to wager more money, take blogger risks, and, consequently, lose more than they can afford to, usually. 

Some of them get carried away by the negative emotions and take it to their social media to blame athletes. A few go as far as to issue threats. 

A recent example is that of an NCAA team that competed in the 2023 College World Series and received threats that required the involvement of law enforcement

The mix of a losing sports fan, a lost bet on one’s favorite team, and alcohol can quickly turn into a highly volatile and even dangerous problem. 

While celebrity athletes are constantly at risk of being stalked in real life and on social media, gamblers who hold a big grudge because of losing bets are a different category of threats that both industries are currently faced with. 

From very vocally expressing disappointment because of game errors, blown saves, or strikeouts, to exploding with range when a player costs them serious money, intimidation, in-person stalking, and even issuing death threats to athletes and their families, the list of problems is long. 

Gambling Scandals Involving Players and Coaches

And it’s not just aggravated fans seeking revenge who represent the problem. This year, Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano was slapped with a lifetime ban by Major League Baseball

Marcano became the first active player in the last century to receive such a punishment for allegedly placing 387 wagers on baseball last season, including games played by Pirates while he was still with the respective team. 

Before that, Alabama baseball coach Brad Bohannon was left jobless as a result of a gambling scandal in which, according to the NCAA, he leaked inside information to a bettor.

Without a doubt, the sports betting industry and sports leagues must come together and figure out how to better manage the windfall of sports gambling before it’s too late.

After finishing her master's in publishing and writing, Melanie began her career as an online editor for a large gaming blog and has now transitioned over towards the iGaming industry. She helps to ensure that our news pieces are written to the highest standard possible under the guidance of senior management.

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