Sports betting has taken the nation by storm, and arguably, no event is bigger than the NCAA Tournament. As the 2025 edition approaches, the NCAA is sending a clear message to bettors who harass college athletes on social media. This week marks the start of the tournament, and in conjunction, the NCAA is launching a new public service announcement titled “Draw the Line.”
The campaign emphasizes the message “Don’t be a loser,” urging fans and bettors to refrain from abusing or harassing athletes online due to lost bets. “There’s losing and then there’s being a loser. Gametime is fraught with enough pressure, and far too often, people take their losses out on the athletes. Only a loser would target college athletes after losing a bet. It’s time to draw the line and put an end to this behavior,” the ad states.
The NCAA indicates that the ad campaign will run during the men’s and women’s tournaments and is part of a series of initiatives aimed at highlighting an increasingly troubling issue. The organization has launched a video showcasing the issue of harassment that student-athletes face from angry fans who lose bets. This initiative is among several efforts to address the rise of sports betting.
The NCAA has launched a new video to air throughout the men’s and women’s March Madness tournament broadcasts, as well as online, as part of the Draw the Line campaign. The new spot, titled “Don’t Be a Loser,” calls attention to the alarming prevalence of abuse and harassment student-athletes face from angry fans who lost a bet. This addition to the Draw the Line campaign is one of several efforts underway at the NCAA in response to the rise of sports betting.
The NCAA cites a report from the American Gaming Association, which estimates that $3.1 billion will be wagered during the tournament. Additionally, it points to the growing reality that many college athletes are subjected to harassment and abuse linked to betting. An NCAA study revealed that 1 in 3 high-profile college athletes has experienced harassment related to sports betting.
Some states have moved to mitigate the effects of sports betting on college athletes by banning individual player props, aiming to protect both the integrity of the games and the mental health of athletes who might face online abuse. With these advertisements, there is hope that awareness will grow, and both college athletes and others can avoid the consequences of online harassment linked to sports betting.
