Sports betting abuse in the NCAA dropped during this year’s March Madness compared to the previous year, according to the NCAA. However, athletes, coaches, and officials received over 3,000 threatening messages. Read more about NCAA’s report. The NCAA contracted Signify Group to monitor online communications through AI and human analysts, reporting confirmed threats to law enforcement when necessary.
Sports Betting Abuse in the NCAA
Overall, sports betting abuse decreased by 23%, as stated in an NCAA news release. The men’s tournament was notable for its lack of major upsets, with all No. 1 seeds reaching the Final Four and Florida clinching the national title. For the women’s tournament, three top seeds reached the national semifinals, while UConn, a No. 2 seed, emerged victorious.
Despite these decreases, abusive messages in the men’s tournament rose by 140%, particularly targeting selection committees and coaches, while betting abuse dropped 36%. For the women’s side, general abuse fell by 83% and betting-related abuse declined 66%.
Challenges in Reducing Online Threats
Mississippi State’s Chandler Prater, who sustained abusive messages after Southern California’s JuJu Watkins suffered an injury, highlighted the personal impact of online abuse. Signify’s AI flagged over 54,000 posts, with analysts classifying 3,161 as abusive or threatening. These were reported to social media platforms and sometimes to law enforcement, leading to the removal of posts and account restrictions.
Charlie Baker, NCAA President, emphasized reducing online harassment as a priority. Jonathan Hirshler, CEO of Signify, anticipates further reductions in sports betting abuse for future events. For insights into sports gambling contexts, check out resources from Legal Sports Report.
