An Ohio councilmember has claimed that violence at youth sports is being spurred by gambling on the games.
Cincinnati Councilman Scotty Johnson made the allegation at a joint meeting between the city council and Cincinnati Public Schools. The topic of discussion was safety at youth sporting events, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer.
Cincinnati Public Schools often rents facilities to youth leagues to hold games and the district is now reporting theft, vandalism and gun violence once the events end, the outlet reported.
Johnson, a former police officer, claims the reason behind this is the sports betting taking place, including wagers that reach up to $5,000.
There is “a ridiculous amount of money that’s being bet on these youth games,” Johnson said.
"Stop betting on our children," Johnson said. "It's really up to the people attending those games to not make our children objects."
The Cincinnati Police Department has been made aware of the betting going on around the sporting events, a spokesperson confirmed to the newspaper, adding that it might have incited some of the violence.
"We discourage any type of gambling, especially at youth events where we are there as role models and mentors," the spokesperson said. "It needs to cease immediately."
The violence is harming the school district’s bottom line as security prices for games have gone up.
The police department has begun charging overtime rates, increasing the cost to 75 percent.
Normally, the events would cost the district $550 per hour. That includes rental fees, police details and other staff.
The events are outside the normal responsibilities for officers and cops do not want to work the matches if violence is likely to ensue, Johnson said.
"It's not their job to take a detail where deadly consequences may take place," he said.
Ken Kober, the police union president for Cincinnati, told the outlet that violence at elementary school events had been tied to gambling for years.
"You wonder why these kids are violent, it's because their parents perpetuate it," he said, adding, "It's time that adults actually act like adults."
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