The Jets Setter

By John Brickley

As legalized sports betting continues to expand across the United States, college athletics is confronting a new reality — one where student-athletes are surrounded by gambling culture but barred from participating in it, while facing increased pressure, scrutiny, and online harassment tied to betting outcomes.

For Quinnipiac junior golfer Sam Galantini, that pressure is impossible to ignore.

“Athletes have always faced pressure to perform well, but sports betting has created a whole new level of responsibility,” Galantini said. “Athletes understand that friends, family, or strangers are betting on their performance, which adds to their internal pressure and expectations.”

While NCAA rules strictly prohibit athletes from gambling on sports, betting has become normalized in nearly every other aspect of sports culture — from advertisements during broadcasts to conversations on social media. The disconnect, Galantini says, leaves athletes navigating an environment filled with temptation, confusion, and risk.

“Additionally, college athletes have to comply with NCAA rules and avoid risking their eligibility, despite gambling being so normalized around them,” he said.

Administrators say that normalization has had consequences beyond compliance issues. Sarah Fraser, Associate Athletic Director at Quinnipiac University, says legalized betting has changed the way fans interact with athletes — particularly online.

“With sports betting legal, the pressures faced by student athletes have risen exponentially,” Fraser said. “Of greatest concern to me is the harassment and abuse they face on social media from bettors who do not like their performance at any given time. Prop bets where players are named or singled out are especially troubling. It is something we have to find a way to protect the athletes from.”

Fraser noted that college athletes are especially vulnerable because they often lack the media training, representation, and security resources available to professional players. A missed shot or poor performance can quickly trigger angry messages from bettors who lost money, creating mental-health concerns that extend far beyond the playing field.

Those concerns are echoed by media professionals who regularly cover college sports. Edona Thaçi of NBC Sports says gambling culture has intensified scrutiny, particularly in high-profile programs.

“Some programs have expanded this education to include mental health support and awareness of the harmful impacts of gambling culture,” Thaçi said. “Still, these programs are in the early stages. There needs to be a proactive system to monitor and address gambling-related harassment and peer pressure, especially in high-profile sports like football and basketball.”

In response to the growing presence of betting, the NCAA has required member institutions to provide gambling education to student-athletes. However, Galantini believes those efforts often fall short of preparing athletes for real-world consequences.

“I feel that there aren’t enough education and support systems for college athletes regarding gambling,” he said. “While athletes understand basic gambling repercussions, they don’t fully process potential NCAA repercussions.”

Violations of NCAA gambling rules can result in severe penalties, including suspensions or permanent loss of eligibility — consequences that Galantini says are not always clearly understood by athletes navigating a culture where betting is widely accepted.

“Although the NCAA has required athletes to attend gambling seminars, athletes don’t truly understand the impact gambling can have on their lives,” he said.

Fraser said athletic departments are now tasked with balancing education, enforcement, and athlete well-being in an environment that is changing faster than policy can keep up.

“Most of our athletes are doing everything right,” she said. “But the environment around them has changed, and we have to acknowledge that.”

While national attention often focuses on point-shaving scandals or betting violations, Fraser and Thaçi both emphasize that the everyday experience of student-athletes deserves more scrutiny. Even athletes who follow the rules can feel the effects of gambling culture through social media abuse and heightened performance pressure.

As legal sports betting continues to grow, administrators, athletes, and media professionals agree that protecting college athletes will require more than compliance checklists. Expanded education, stronger mental-health support, and proactive monitoring of online harassment are increasingly seen as essential steps.

For Galantini, the issue ultimately comes down to recognizing that college athletes are still students — learning, growing, and adjusting to responsibilities many of their peers never face.

“Everyone talks about protecting the integrity of the game,” he said. “But we also need to protect the athletes who are being asked to carry that responsibility.”