Patriots’ Kayshon Boutte gets good news on his illegal gambling charges
Kayshon Boutte is no longer in legal trouble.
The New England Patriots wide receiver had previously faced charges of underage gambling and computer fraud from the state of Louisiana, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Tuesday morning that Boutte’s attorney confirmed those charges have been dropped.
The Louisiana State Police originally arrested Boutte back in January, on accusations that he “used an alias to circumvent the legal age required for placing sports wagers in Louisiana.” Boutte allegedly made more than 8,900 illegal wagers between April 6, 2022, and May 7, 2023, when he was 20 years old and attending LSU.
The Patriots drafted Boutte in the sixth round on April 29, 2023, indicating that Boutte’s illegal betting continued after he became an NFL player.
NFL players are allowed to bet on non-league sporting events with legal sportsbooks, while they are away from any team facilities. But the rules prohibit betting on any NFL-related events from any location at any time, and players cannot make any bets while at any team or league facility, or while on the road.
The league revised its gambling policy in the fall of 2023 and softened punishments, but the minimum suspension for players found to have bet on NFL games remains one year. Players found to have made bets while at team/league facilities would face a six-game suspension.
It’s unclear whether Boutte would still be subject to a possible suspension from the NFL, despite the charges being dropped. But he will at least avoid a significant punishment in a legal sense, and would have grounds to appeal any punishment from the league.
MORE: 7 position and roster battles to watch in Patriots training camp
Boutte is part of a crowded wide receiver depth chart with the Patriots, who begin 2024 training camp on July 24. Despite flashing at points during OTAs and minicamp, he’ll have an uphill battle to make the roster.
Matt Dolloff is a writer and digital content producer for 98.5 The Sports Hub. Read all of his articles here.
