(NewsNation) — In response to sports bettors sending Venmo requests to college athletes after losing money, the popular payment service platform has teamed up with the NCAA to address online harassment.

The NCAA and Venmo announced a partnership Tuesday to combat online abuse facing many athletes as sports betting increases in popularity.

The plan includes a hotline for athletes to report unwanted comments, expanded education on account security and increased account monitoring.

Venmo's security team will now monitor social media trends and events during games that could trigger an increase in harassment and abuse toward athletes, such as championship games or last-second shot attempts.

A recent NCAA study found 12% of abusive comments aimed at college athletes were connected to sports

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