Overview

• In an ESPN interview Tkachuk explained he changed his Venmo name and removed his profile picture after gamblers sent him requests to cover losses on player-prop bets.
• He emphasized he would never pay such requests because doing so would violate NHL anti-gambling rules and could cost him his career.
• This case highlights how public payment apps expose athletes to direct harassment from bettors disappointed by individual performance metrics.
• Media outlets have linked Tkachuk’s experience to other Venmo-related betting controversies, such as Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer’s flagged transactions.
• NHL enforcement history shows the stakes for players, including a 41-game suspension for Senators center Shane Pinto in 2023 over proxy betting.