New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte is no longer an accused sports betting offender.
ESPN’s Mike Reiss reported that Louisiana prosecutors dropped computer fraud and prohibited gambling charges filed against Boutte in January. A defendant convicted of the computer fraud charge could face up to five years in prison.
Boutte, a former Louisiana State University star, is 20 years old and is alleged to have engaged in conduct that is legal in states with large Patriots fanbases, such as New Hampshire and Rhode Island, but not in Louisiana, where the minimum age for gambling is 21. Boutte is also accused of using a false name to give the false impression that he met the age requirement.
Boutte, now 22, is said to have placed more than 8,900 bets, including prop bets on his own performance and bets on LSU games. But Boutte has apparently not been successful, losing roughly $81,000 in 2022 and 2023, by one estimate.
If Boutte had made these bets (regardless of his state’s age restrictions), he would have violated NCAA rules, which prohibit players or employees from betting on “any NCAA-sponsored sport at any level, including college or professional.” Sharing information that could affect betting also violates NCAA rules. Boutte, who caught 132 passes for the Tigers from 2020-2022 and was selected in the sixth round by the Patriots in the 2023 NFL Draft, could have been deemed NCAA ineligible if his alleged conduct had been discovered at the time.
NFL rules prohibit players from betting on NFL games or activities, and also prohibit players from betting on other sports while on team property or during team-related travel. If Boutte’s bets were made before he joined the NFL, he would not be subject to any league discipline. If he bet after he joined the NFL, he could be subject to discipline depending on the sport he bet on and where he bet. ESPN reported that Boutte’s bets were made about a week after he was drafted. To date, the NFL has not disciplined Boutte.
Boutte caught just two passes last season for the Patriots, who finished a dismal 4-13, but reportedly performed well in offseason practices. After the Patriots traded former starter Mac Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars, signed veteran Jacoby Brissett, drafted former University of North Carolina star Drake Maye with the third overall pick and took former University of Tennessee star Joe Milton III in the sixth round, Boutte will be catching passes from a new quarterback in 2024.
