Venmo and the NCAA have joined forces to tackle a growing problem – college athletes getting harassed online by angry gamblers. It’s not pretty, and the payment app decided they’d had enough.
David Szuchman runs PayPal’s global financial crime division, and he’s not mincing words about this issue. Even though harassment makes up just a tiny slice of Venmo transactions, he says any amount is “unacceptable.”
NCAA President Charlie Baker isn’t holding back either. “The harassment we’re seeing across various online platforms is unacceptable, and we need fans to do better,” he said, calling out other companies to step up too.
Why Student-Athletes Need Better Protection
The numbers from a recent Signify Group study paint a disturbing picture. Between November 2023 and June 2024, researchers tracked abuse across platforms and found some ugly trends.
Here’s what jumped out: 12% of detected abuse posts were tied to sports betting and match-fixing. But it gets worse – a third of all abuse was sexual or sexist in nature.
The most shocking stat? One in three players received targeted harassment from angry gamblers who’d lost money and needed someone to blame. These aren’t just random internet trolls we’re talking about.
What New Tools Venmo Will Provide
The partnership brings three key resources to student-athletes, starting with dedicated account support when things go sideways. No more getting lost in standard customer service channels.
There’s also a direct reporting hotline, which means athletes can call right away instead of filling out forms and waiting. Plus, educational materials will help students understand privacy settings and spot warning signs before problems escalate.
Venmo already cracks down hard on harassment, but they’re adding these extra layers specifically for student-athletes. As they put it, their mission is making payments “simple, safe, and fun” – though they admit platforms sometimes get misused.
How This Changes Protection Standards
Baker wants this partnership to set a precedent for other social media companies and platforms. Several states have already passed laws targeting this specific type of harassment, and he’s hoping more will follow.
The timing makes sense since college sports betting has exploded in recent years. More gamblers inevitably means more potential for abuse when teams don’t cover the spread or lose outright.
Whether these new tools actually reduce harassment incidents remains to be seen. The real test will come in the data over the next few months, showing if this approach can make a dent in what’s become a serious problem for student-athletes trying to focus on their sport.
