New England Patriots’ Boutte Sees Gambling Charges Dropped

The rising star for the New England Patriots, Kayshon Boutte, was embroiled in an underage betting scandal back in January this year. The young athlete was the latest one at the time to find himself in hot water after a number of athletes faced similar troubles due to suspected wagering on sports.

Boutte was accused of placing more than 8,900 illegal wagers. According to the Louisiana State Police’s Gaming Enforcement Division, the player engaged in sports wagering at a time when he wasn’t of the legal age.

Allegedly, Boutte participated in betting on sports between April 6, 2022, and May 7, 2023. At the time he was 20, which means that the bets he placed were illegal. The Patriots’ promising talent was suspected of using an alias account that enabled him to circumvent the age restriction in Louisiana which is 21.

Despite the suspected illegal betting activities, Boutte was allowed to continue participating in the team’s spring activities.

What’s more, a newly released report suggests that Louisiana recently dropped the computer fraud and underage gambling charges Boutte was facing previously. Confirmation about the dropped charges came from the player’s lawyer who was recently interviewed by ESPN.

According to the National Football League (NFL), the actions of the player remain under scrutiny. So far, there are no obstructions to Boutte’s participation in Patriots activities.

The investigation into the young star alleged that his betting activities continued for about a week after his draft. Of the 8,900 bets he allegedly placed, nearly 20 were on NCAA football games. From that total, Boutte was also suspected of placing at least six wagers on LSU games.

Strict Rules Help Ensure the Integrity of Football Games

Under the current NFL rules on gambling, players are allowed to place wagers. Still, they are restricted to placing any bets on League games.

Back in November, the NCAA announced the adoption of new guidelines that addressed the growing number of student-athletes involved in betting activities. Previously, such athletes were subject to permanent loss of eligibility. However, the revised rules saw the NCAA reduce the minimum penalty to one year of loss of eligibility and one year of suspension.