WTA and ITF Report Slams Gambling-Driven Player Abuse Online
WTA and ITF exposed rampant online abuse against tennis players, with 40% tied to angry gamblers, urging the betting industry to act.
Abuse Targets Tennis Players
The WTA and ITF released a groundbreaking report, detailing 8,000 abusive or threatening social media posts targeting 458 tennis players in 2024.
Powered by Signify Group’s Threat Matrix, which scanned 1.6 million posts across 8,300 players, the report pinpointed 4,200 accounts, with 97 prolific ones driving 23% of the abuse.
“Perpetrators must face consequences,” said a WTA and ITF spokesperson. Angry gamblers fueled 40% of the hate, with five players absorbing 26% of it. The tennis bodies now demand action from the gambling industry.
Gambling’s Role and Actions Taken
The report links 40% of abuse to bettors, with 77% of direct messages from angry gamblers aiming to distress players over lost bets.
Ten prolific accounts, mostly gambling-related, sent 12% of the abuse, with one dishing out 263 messages. Nine of these accounts were suspended or had posts deleted.
Threat Matrix escalated 15 severe cases to law enforcement, including three to the FBI, and shared 39 account details with betting firms. The service also banned abusers from tournaments and supported 28 players with 56 direct abuse reports, mostly in late 2024.
Pushing for Change
The WTA and ITF are rolling out social media moderation to hide toxic content in real time, launching soon for their channels and players on request.
“It’s time for the gambling industry to tackle this,” said WTA’s Jessica Pegula. Signify’s CEO, Jonathan Hirshler, noted that a small group of accounts drives most abuse, enabling targeted takedowns and venue bans.
The report calls for dialogue with betting operators to curb gambling-linked hate, aiming to make online spaces safer for players.
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