Now-former Padres Manager Mike Shildt has retired, and he cited death threats from sports gamblers as a reason.
Shildt, just 57 years old, walked away despite postseason berths in the last two seasons. In an interview with The Athletic, Shildt said stress and threats of violence from bettors were factors.
“Shildt said he began thinking in late August about the possibility of retiring. The now-former manager said that during the past season he experienced, among other things, poor sleep, chest pains, hair loss and, in an age of pervasive sports gambling, even death threats from strangers.”
His retirement in the prime of his managing career stunned the baseball world.
Why Mike Shildt’s Comments Matter
Sports gambling has surged to a $13.71 billion industry (2024 revenue). The U.S. market in 2024 was up from $11.04 billion the year prior. The market has experienced significant growth so far in 2025.
Shildt’s retirement came just days after a Pew survey found that more Americans see legalized sports betting as bad for society. Among young men, the core customer base for state-sanctioned betting apps, nearly 50% think it’s harmful to society.
In July 2025, a U.S. News survey found that 21% of sports bettors admitted to “verbally abusing” an athlete, whether on the internet or while they were at a sports event. One can reasonably assume that some survey respondents did not admit to it.
The explosion of sports gambling comes amid a broader loneliness epidemic, which could play a significant role in the crisis of violent online rhetoric across society.
Shildt is among the countless players and coaches across the sports world who have received threats from sports gamblers in recent years. While death threats against athletes and celebrities aren’t new, anecdotal accounts say they’re rising.
In MLB specifically, the Associated Press reported in May that “many players believe it’s directly linked to the rise in legalized sports betting.” In the spring, Houston Astros pitcher Lance McCullers received 24-hour security after online death threats.
What Can Be Done
The first course of action is to stop the spread of online sports betting legalization. The activity is legal in about 30 states, while in-person betting is the only form allowed in a handful of other states.
States like Georgia, Texas, and California should reject the betting industry’s efforts to legalize. Voters in Nebraska, who currently have access to retail sports betting in the state, should reject an effort to expand online.
In states where sports betting is legal, repeal efforts should be considered.
Sports gambling would still exist via offshore gambling sites and prediction gambling websites. However, those betting channels have not gone anywhere as close to mainstream as the state-sanctioned betting apps.
Alongside repeal efforts, states should begin investing more money into existing gambling addiction programs, especially for prevention. Problem gambling awareness should be taught in schools across the country.
In Gambling Harm’s view, repealing online sports betting laws alongside larger investments in education are the best options. Efforts to criminally prosecute bettors issuing death threats won’t be effective in addressing the problem.
At the federal level, the SAFE Bet Act deserves more attention. It seeks to establish guardrails to protect online sports bettors and their friends/family from harm. The legislation could curb the rise in death threats.
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