Read the sick abuse footy stars get from gamblers who've lost bets - as great of the game warns players could self-harm over the abuse

With the rise of sports betting and social media, AFL stars are copping more abuse than ever from disgruntled gamblers - and one great of the game believes it could push players over the edge into self-harm.

Ex-Western Bulldogs defender Josh Bruce has recalled the horrific abuse he received on Instagram after he tore his ACL in 2023 when his spirits were about as low as he thought they could get.

'When I did my knee I had a lot of messages from fans saying, 'We love everything you have done for the club this year,' Bruce told the Herald Sun.

'Then one comes in – "I am f***ing glad you have done your knee". It was like, "Jesus Christ".'

Athletes from several codes have spoken out about the sharp rise in abuse they've noticed online over recent years.

'For me the worst of it was in Covid because there was a lot of gambling with nothing else to do. The horse racing stayed on and the footy stayed on. And that was certainly when I was going through bad patches of form so I absolutely copped it,' Bruce said.

'Abusive messages towards you, towards your family. Go and die, you are a sh** c***. A few funny ones as well. Here are my bank details. You owe me $100 for my multi.

'I have had pretty significant mental health issues across most of my career and it didn't help. The bad patches, it exacerbated them. It cemented your worst thoughts about yourself.

'Everyone tells you, 'Don't read it', but you are sitting there with your Instagram account and what else are you going to do?

'There is an option to filter out specific words so one day I went through and had to write the words that were hurting me. Whatever the explicit words were, Instagram can bar them. So I had to physically type them in about myself.'

Former Magpies star Travis Cloke has stated that he believes a player might self-harm over the relentless abuse they receive on social media following matches.

'I truly do believe we will push the line with social media and someone will actually self-harm before we do get some really good results out of this,' he said in 2020.

'You walk into the room, sing the song if you have won, sit on the ground for a couple of minutes if you have lost, and then walk to the locker and grab your phone.

'It could be a matter of 10 minutes after you have played a game of footy.'

Ex-Bulldogs captain and anti-gambling campaigner Easton Wood said the trolling of players does impact their mental health.

'It's the kind of thing that just builds up over time. We are so heavily scrutinised for our performance and the last thing you want when you are trying to play a team role is copping abuse from people who don't care about you and are in it for a quick buck,' he said.

'It's a sad development. Social media is at fever pitch and when you feel the weight and volume of that amount of abuse it has to have an impact.'

Retired Lions star Mitch Robinson fired back at abusive gamblers with a strongly-worded Tweet in 2020.

'Public announcement!' he wrote. 'Not one AFL player (cares) how we cost you a $100 multi, it's $5 bet you idiot.

'If you're struggling with that amount please don't punt in the first place. Death threats & 'hope you do your ACL next game' I dare say we won't pay you out either.'