Tennis authorities demand betting bans for online abusers
Tennis is facing a reckoning with the scale of online abuse directed at its athletes, as new data reveals that a significant proportion of this vitriol is fuelled by disgruntled gamblers. Recent findings have prompted the sport’s governing bodies to demand that gambling companies take decisive action, including closing the accounts of punters found to be harassing players online.
Gamblers behind 40 percent of abuse
The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) and International Tennis Federation (ITF) have published the first season-wide report outlining the extent of online abuse targeting players. The report, powered by the Signify Group’s Threat Matrix AI system, analysed 1.6 million posts and comments across social media in 2024. Of these, around 8,000 messages sent from 4,200 accounts were verified as abusive, violent, or threatening. Most strikingly, 40 percent of this abuse was linked to angry gamblers, a figure that soared to 77 percent for direct messages to players’ personal accounts.
The data paints a stark picture: 458 players were targeted with direct threats or abuse, but just five players received 26 percent of all the abuse identified, while 97 prolific accounts were responsible for nearly a quarter of all detected abuse. British tennis star Katie Boulter has been one of the most high-profile victims, receiving death threats and explicit messages from disgruntled bettors after matches. Boulter told the BBC, “I think it just kind of shows how vulnerable we are,” highlighting the emotional toll this abuse takes on athletes.
Tennis bodies push betting firms to act on abuse
After seeing the latest data, the WTA and ITF are putting more pressure on gambling operators, asking them to block or ban users who send abusive messages to players. , “Given the clear evidence highlighted by Threat Matrix on the link between angry gamblers and prolific online abuse and threat, we are calling for a constructive dialogue with the gambling industry to help tackle this issue. Everyone—betting operators, social media platforms, governing bodies, players and law enforcers—has a responsibility to make the online space a safer and more positive one. We hope the gambling industry responds constructively to our call for more action on their part”.
There’s been a bit of movement. FanDuel, the WTA’s official betting partner in the US, has changed its rules so it can shut down the accounts of users who harass players. In an email to users, FanDuel has stated: “We may, in our sole discretion, suspend or terminate your Account and/or exclude you from our services if we determine that you pose a threat to the safety of participants in a sporting event, or discover that you engaged in the harassment of a sports official, coach or any participant in a sporting event”.
The authorities are also pushing for gambling companies to fund educational campaigns about online hate and are considering proposals to use self-exclusion databases to prevent abusers from accessing betting services.
The road ahead: Will industry action be enough?
The human cost of this abuse is impossible to ignore. Boulter’s experiences are not unique. During the French Open, she received messages such as “Hope you get cancer” and “Go to hell. I lost money my mother sent me,” as well as threats against her family. These deeply personal attacks have shocked the tennis community and prompted calls for stronger action.
Ons Jabeur, a two-time Wimbledon finalist, told the BBC, “I feel like we’ve been talking about this for a long time, but not a lot changes. The big problem is the betting. The betting companies need to vet these people and look at their social media. If they attack players on social media they should be banned from betting for their whole life.”
Jessica Pegula, a member of the WTA 바카라ers’ Council, : “Online abuse is unacceptable, and something that no player should have to endure. I welcome the work that the WTA and ITF are doing with Threat Matrix to identify and take action against the abusers, whose behaviour is so often linked to gambling. But it’s not enough on its own. It’s time for the gambling industry and social media companies to tackle the problem at its source and act to protect everyone facing these threats.”
Plenty in the industry have suspected it for a while, and now the numbers back it up, much of the abuse aimed at players is coming from angry gamblers. In response, tennis bodies are putting pressure on betting firms to step in and do more to protect players. The sport has made its position clear. Now it’s up to the gambling firms to show they’re actually listening.
