The Washington Post featured our Director of Gambling Policy, Harry Levant, in an article that details how the rapid expansion of sports betting – especially real time “micro-betting” – is contributing to online abuse aimed at athletes.
In the story published on June 14, 2025, titled “‘Kill yourself’: Toxic mix of betting, social media fuels athlete abuse,” highlights how today’s gambling prodcuts, especially those via smartphones, have changed the landscape dramatically. As Harry puts it:
“The speed of gambling, the intensity of gambling — they’ve increased exponentially. We’ve fundamentally changed the way people gamble…then social media creates this idea of anonymity. … We shouldn’t be quite so surprised when we see an increase in the number of people demonstrating antisocial behavior.”
At PHAI, we know that this isn’t just a sports issue, its a publich health one. With the growing number of threats and harassment that both college and professional athletes are receiving online from frustrated bettors, federal regulation and policies like the SAFE Bet Act, are necessary to help create a safer environment for both the consumer and the athlete.
Read the full article here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/06/14/sports-betting-athlete-abuse-online/