College Athletes and Coaches Explain the Impact of Sports Betting During Roundtable – CDC Gaming

College sports betting took center stage Thursday at Siena College in upstate New York as student-athletes and coaches detailed the harassment of bettors on social media in recent years.

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Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY) organized the panel in his home district in support of his federal sports betting legislation, the SAFE Bet Act. The legislation calls for a total ban on college betting and includes further advertising restrictions.

“The embarrassing thing is the public messages that are directed at the players because they often feel like they can’t defend themselves,” Siena men’s basketball coach Gerry McNamara said. “There was always a fanatical component, but now there is the financial component (to sports betting) and this is where the threats become more serious.”