How You Can Protect Student Athletes From Betting Harassment
Published: August 18, 2025
August means one thing: football season is here. Whether you prefer college football, the NFL preseason, or the kind of football they play across the pond (otherwise known as soccer), this is the time of year when athletes across Ohio are starting a season of competition. From high school to college, these athletes are also students — and they’re having to deal with a rising tide of sports betting harassment.
As sports betting grows more common, more and more student athletes are being harassed online over bets. Approximately one in three high-profile student athletes report receiving threatening messages from people who have bet on them or their teams. Beyond big-name college athletes, the issue also affects college students who play sports with a lower profile, and even athletes who compete on the high school level.
These students are only trying to pursue their dreams of athletic and academic success, and no student deserves to be attacked over a bet. That’s why Ohio is taking steps to protect student athletes of all kinds. In addition to banning prop bets on college athletes, the state of Ohio has launched the More Than a Bet campaign to protect all student athletes from sports betting harassment.
How You Can Get Involved
Every Ohioan can get involved in making sure that sports culture stays positive for student athletes. Whether you are an individual or an organization, here’s how you can help.
- Promote Positive Play: No young person should feel pressured to perform a certain way because of a bet. By educating yourself on the issue and promoting positive play for all student athletes, you’ll be doing your part to protect them from gambling-associated harm.
- Spread the Word: More Than a Bet offers a community toolkit to help local organizations, such as high schools, colleges, and universities raise awareness around sports betting harassment and how to protect student athletes from it. Co-branding is available, so your audience can hear the message straight from you.
- Keep Up to Date: Sports are changing fast, and so are the potential ways student athletes are affected by betting and gambling. Follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram to stay informed.
And if you or someone you know is being impacted by a gambling disorder, don’t hesitate to call the free and confidential Ohio Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-589-9966 or text 4HOPE to 741741. Trained and understanding specialists are ready to take your call 24/7. Additionally, the Ohio Gambling Telehealth Network now offers virtual telehealth services at no cost.