By Isha - Jun 18, 2025
Female athletes are facing a surge of abusive messages on social media triggered by gambling losses, with over 40% of abusive messages towards female tennis players linked to bets. The toxic intersection of sports betting, social media, and misogyny is leading athletes like Katie Boulter to speak out against the hate, with some footballers choosing to avoid social media entirely during major tournaments. Research reveals that women athletes, especially during high-profile events like March Madness, receive three times more online abuse than their male counterparts. Experts attribute the rise in abuse to the popularity of prop betting, which allows fans to wager on specific in-game actions, intensifying the pressure on athletes and fueling the barrage of hate messages. Calls are being made for stricter safeguards, including stringent identity verification, enhanced moderation tools, and legislation targeting toxic gambling culture.
Athletes can be made more vulnerable to abuse via Getty Images
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The rise of gambling-fueled abuse directed at female athletes via social media. From tennis courts to football fields, athletes are increasingly facing vitriol not only for their performance but also because of losing bets placed by anonymous fans. The intersection of sports betting, social media, and misogyny is creating a toxic environment that many female athletes are now speaking out against. Recent findings from a joint study by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) and the International Tennis Federation (ITF) have revealed that over 40% of abusive messages received by female tennis players were linked to gambling losses.
Using AI-driven software called Threat Matrix to monitor over 1.6 million social media posts, the study identified 458 players who were directly threatened online, with 15 of those cases referred to law enforcement. British tennis player Katie Boulter recently shared examples of this abuse, including messages telling her to “go get cancer” and even targeting her family, hate, she said, was triggered by fans who had lost money betting on her matches.
But this issue isn’t confined to tennis. England’s women’s football team members, including Alessia Russo, have spoken about choosing to avoid social media entirely during major tournaments due to the sheer volume of abuse. Research also shows that women athletes, particularly in high-profile NCAA events like March Madness, receive up to three times more online hate than their male counterparts. Much of this abuse comes in the form of racist, sexist, and threatening messages, often from users hiding behind anonymous profiles.
Experts believe that the explosion of “prop betting,” which allows people to wager on specific in-game actions, has only intensified the pressure and abuse. A missed penalty, a yellow card, or even a substitution can spark a torrent of hate messages from gamblers who feel financially wronged. Combine that with the ease of anonymous posting on social platforms, and the result is a relentless stream of personal attacks. Athletes and governing bodies are now calling for stronger safeguards. These include stricter identity verification on social media, more robust moderation tools, and legislation targeting toxic gambling culture.
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