Expert: KY Colleges Not Planning For Angry Bettors Is ‘Deeply Concerning’

Written By Adam Hensley on July 12, 2023
KY colleges angry sports bettors, from playkentucky.com

A recent PlayKentucky story revealed how Kentucky’s seven Division I universities are doing little to nothing in preparation to protect their student-athletes from angry sports bettors when the industry launches later this year.

And one responsible gambling expert tells PlayKentucky that fact is “deeply concerning.”

Joseph Martin, CEO of Kinectify, an anti-money laundering risk management technology company that recently partnered with a responsible gambling behavioral health company, said that “college athletic communities” like Kentucky are being hit hard with gambling addiction — which can lead to potentially dangerous behavior directed toward college student-athletes.

“It’s deeply concerning that Kentucky universities are not (offering) protection from angry sports bettors,” Martin said. “This is the exact opposite direction of where Kentucky should be headed.”

Kentucky’s unique sports betting landscape opens a can of worms

Kentucky’s sports demographic is interesting. There are no professional sports teams, although plenty border the state. Instead, college sports make up the main focus. And they’ll make up a significant focus for sports betting in Kentucky.

Recently, there’s been more emphasis on protecting student-athletes who may face harassment from angry bettors.

In Colorado, for instance, the government set aside $215,000 in grant funding to create the Colorado Athlete Wellbeing Program, which aims to help curtail online harassment faced by student-athletes in the state.

Considering how passionate the college fanbases are within Kentucky, and especially considering the legal age limit for sports betting will be 18, Kentucky should take note. After all, a recent NCAA study found that 60% of college students bet on sports.

In June, PlayKentucky reached out to the athletic departments of Kentucky’s seven Division I programs to see how they would protect their student-athletes. Just one responded.

Bellarmine University told PlayKentucky that it “doesn’t plan to implement any new policies.” It will be a case-by-case basis.

The state’s two largest D-I colleges, University of Kentucky and Louisville, did not respond to PlayKentucky‘s request for comment. They released a joint statement addressing sports betting at the college level, but that statement focused more on compliance issues rather than student-athlete safety issues.

Student-athlete harassment is a real problem

The issue of student-athlete safety in regards to angry sports bettors is not made up.

In 2021, a 24-year-old sports bettor in California named Benjamin Patz — nicknamed Parlay Patz — was sentenced to 36 months of probation after he was accused of threatening professional athletes and college student-athletes on Twitter. He was accused of harassing student-athletes on the Pepperdine men’s basketball team.

Dayton men’s basketball coach Anthony Grant discussed the vitriol student-athletes face from angry gamblers during a postgame press conference on Jan. 18. Ohio, where Dayton is located, legalized sports betting on Jan. 1.

“There’s some laws that have recently been enacted that, to me, it could really change the landscape of what college sports is all about,” Grant said. “And when we have people that make it about themselves and attack kids because of their own agenda, it sickens me.”

Photo by AP Photo/Chuck Burton
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Adam Hensley

Adam Hensley is a staff writer for PlayKentucky. His byline has appeared in the Associated Press, Sports Illustrated and sites within the USA Today Network. Hensley graduated from the University of Iowa in 2019 and spent his college career working for the Daily Iowan’s sports department, both as an editor and reporter.

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