British Tennis Star Katie Boulter Says She’s Received Death Threats from Sports Bettors: ‘It’s Horrible’

British tennis player Katie Boulter is calling out a dangerous side of sports betting after receiving death threats.

In an interview with BBC Sport released on Tuesday, June 17, Boulter, 28, spoke about the impact those messages have had on her. “I think it just kind of shows how vulnerable we are,” said Boulter, who has received messages from people telling her they “hope she gets cancer” and to “go to hell.”

“I don’t think it’s something that I would ever say to my worst enemy,” she continued. “It’s just an awful, awful thing to say to anyone. It’s horrible.”

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Boulter, who is engaged to Australian tennis player Alex de Minaur, also noted another level of concern when she realized “you really don’t know if they’re nearby or if they know where you live or anything like that.”

One message, according to the BBC, threatened to damage a grave belonging to Boulter’s grandmother and referenced “candles and a coffin” for her “entire family.”

Boulter said that the online harassment has happened since “the very start” of her career, mostly “getting comments about the way you look.” She added, “I think it increases in number and it also increases in the level of things that people say. I don’t think there’s anything off the cards now.”

The British tennis star noted that death threats are “just not something you want to be reading straight after an emotional loss,” and that the threats come even after she wins, too. “A lot of the time you get it after you win as well,” she shared.

Another issue Boulter raised in her interview was the subject of explicit imagery being sent to players. The athlete said she’s had “quite of few of those” in her direct messages and requests. “That’s also a larger problem,” Boulter told the outlet. “Youngsters really shouldn’t be seeing things like that or being sent things like that.”

The tennis star said she’s even responded to some of the more negative messages she’s received so that “maybe they can take a second and look at themselves.”

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“Sometimes the replies I actually get from that is them saying: ‘Oh no, I’m a huge fan. I’m so sorry. I didn’t want to send you that stuff, but it was emotional, I didn’t mean to. You know, I still support you. I think you’re amazing,’ ” Boulter shared.

BBC Sport spoke to All England Lawn Tennis Club’s chief executive Sally Bolton, who said her team is trying “very hard to protect the players when they’re on site and digitally.”

“It’s disappointing that athletes aren’t able to go about what they do without receiving that abuse, but unfortunately it is a reality, and betting on sport now I’m afraid is also a reality, so we have to think about how we can mitigate some of that threat and risk,” said Bolton.