Venmo and NCAA Partner to Combat Harassment on Payment App

The NCAA has partnered with Venmo to address athlete harassment on the payment app. The partnership includes a reporting hotline for athletes and the NCAA to report abuse, such as harassment from angry sports bettors. Venmo will provide a best-practices guide for athletes to "stay safe" on the platform and monitor accounts to mitigate an influx of requests based on game performance. The NCAA applauds Venmo for taking action and encourages other social media companies and online platforms to do the same.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has partnered with Venmo to tackle the growing issue of athlete harassment on the payment app. The collaboration aims to create a safer digital environment for student-athletes, particularly during the high-stakes college football season.

Venmo, a subsidiary of PayPal, is one of the most popular peer-to-peer payment services among college students. However, numerous student-athletes have reported being harassed by angry sports bettors on the platform. These incidents often involve bettors requesting money from athletes based on their on-field performance, leading to a distressing environment for the athletes.

To address this issue, Venmo and the NCAA have implemented several measures. The partnership includes a reporting hotline for athletes and the NCAA to report abuse, such as harassment from angry sports bettors. Venmo will also provide a best-practices guide for athletes to protect their accounts and stay safe on the platform. This guide will be distributed through NCAA channels, including email and e-learning modules.

Additionally, Venmo will produce public service announcements (PSAs) to educate the general public about the risks associated with making payment requests to student-athletes regarding sports bets. These PSAs will highlight the potential consequences, including the possibility of having an account closed for such activities.

The NCAA has praised Venmo for taking proactive steps to curb harassment. NCAA President Charlie Baker has encouraged state gaming regulators to prohibit odds based solely on a single student-athlete’s play, known as player props. Baker believes these betting opportunities increase instances of college players being harassed online.

Professional golfer Scottie Scheffler, who has faced similar issues, publicly stated that he had to delete his Venmo account due to the constant requests for payment from disgruntled bettors. Scheffler mentioned that while he occasionally received money from happy bettors, the majority of requests were for payments he didn’t owe.

Venmo acknowledges that while unwanted interactions make up a small percentage of transactions on the platform, any such incidents are unacceptable. The company is committed to ensuring a safe and respectful environment for all users.

The college football season is set to kick off this weekend, with several marquee games scheduled. The NCAA and Venmo’s partnership aims to mitigate potential harassment issues that may arise during the season.

References:

[1] https://www.casino.org/news/venmo-to-monitor-student-athletes-accounts-bettor-abuse/