Document Type

Blog Post

Publication Date

10-17-2025

Abstract

The United States is experiencing a surge in the sports betting market following the Supreme Court’s 2018 decision to open the door for legalization. College sports, a beloved tradition for decades, has only become more popular with the rise of social media, which allows fans to interact with the athletes directly without ever leaving their homes. Due to this accessibility and popularity, it is easy to see why sports betting and collegiate sports would go hand in hand. With the legalization of sports betting, fans are no longer just viewers of the game; they are investors. Fans can place proposition “prop” bets, which allows them to wager on specific aspects of an athlete’s performance. However, because prop bets are directly tied to an athlete’s in-game performance, bettors may feel as though the student-athlete is personally responsible if they lose a bet. In some instances, this frustration has led fans to reach out to athletes directly via social media. These students already face immense pressure trying to balance academic and athletic commitments, and now they must deal with the backlash from angry fans. Without social media, these fans would likely have no direct connection to the students at all. This new wave of harassment raises two questions: how did we get here, and who bears the responsibility for protecting student-athletes?

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