Tennis player highlights gambling-fuelled abuse in women’s sport

British tennis player Katie Boulter has said that much of the abuse she receives on social media is driven by gamblers frustrated with losing bets.

In an interview with the BBC, she revealed that many of the angry messages she gets are clearly linked to gambling losses. "It’s so easy to spot when someone’s just lost money and is lashing out," she said.

Signify, an organisation using artificial intelligence to detect abuse online, has been working with tennis authorities to monitor threats sent to players. Their system, Threat Matrix, found that 40% of all abuse detected came from so-called “angry gamblers”, with messages often coinciding with betting outcomes. For players who have had their private messages monitored by Signify, that figure rises to 77%.

A spokesperson for the Betting and Gaming Council condemned this behaviour: “Our members do not tolerate abuse on social media, which has no place in betting or sport. It is vital social media companies take swift action against users, and remove offensive content.”

Tennis remains one of the most bet-on sports globally, with around £100 million gambled daily. A source at a major betting company said the betting spread is roughly even between men’s and women’s matches, though slightly higher in men’s due to more events on the Challenger tour. In the UK, 13% of sports gamblers bet on tennis, and 16% of those spend over £200 each month, according to YouGov.

Tennis authorities have been criticised for their growing links with gambling sponsors. In 2023, Novak Djokovic argued players should receive more revenue from such deals, saying: “Personally, I probably would not get a betting sponsor on my sleeve but I know that probably 95+% of the players would do that.”

The International Tennis Federation recently extended a deal with Stake, a gambling firm found to have breached UK Gambling Commission rules. Other major events, such as the Madrid Open and the WTA Tour, also have gambling sponsors.

Women are increasingly targeted by gambling platforms. While men still place most bets, 42% of UK women had gambled in the previous four weeks according to the UK Gambling Commission. Meanwhile, the UK industry generated £15.6bn in revenue last year. The government has begun tightening rules, including new advertising restrictions and stake limits, with further reforms under consideration to tackle gambling-related harm.