The New England Patriots’ Kayshon Boutte was taken into custody on suspicion of engaging in unlawful sports betting.
Boutte is alleged to have placed more than 8,900 bets in his home state of Louisiana from April 2022 to May 2023 while still underage.
The Louisiana State Police Gaming Enforcement Division, responsible for the arrest, stated that Boutte was 20 years old when engaging in the betting activity. It is worth noting that the legal minimum age for sports betting in Louisiana is 21.
Boutte allegedly employed a pseudonym to bypass age restrictions while engaged in American football at Louisiana State University (LSU).
Among the close to 9,000 bets made, a minimum of 17 involved National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) football games, with at least six specifically tied to LSU football occurrences
An inquiry into the case was initiated by the police in July, leading to the issuance of an arrest warrant on January 18. Boutte, charged with computer fraud and underage gambling, was apprehended last week.
Although he has been released from custody, local media indicates that additional charges may be brought against him as the investigation continues.
Boutte, in his inaugural season with the Patriots after being drafted in the 2023 NFL draft, has made two receptions, accumulating 19 receiving yards with an average of 9.5 yards for the current season
The NCAA’s call for enhanced protection for student-athletes in response to gambling harm led to charges being filed. In October, the collegiate organization urged states to revise existing laws and regulations to safeguard the integrity of its competitions.
Since the repeal of PASPA in 2018, nearly 40 states have legalized sports betting, but the NCAA contends that only a portion of them include adequate protection and integrity provisions for its players.
To address this, the NCAA is actively promoting the improvement of laws and has formulated new model legislative provisions for states to adopt. The organization has expressed its commitment to collaborating with lawmakers in states looking to legalize wagering, ensuring that these provisions are incorporated into the legislation
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