Some fans disappointed with how athletes perform on game day will often let them know exactly how they feel. There's a separation between the field and the stands, but online, that distance can shrink to near nothing. Add in sports gambling losses, and it can turn nasty.

If sports weren’t exciting enough, add a wager to the mix and fans become even more engaged with the game. But in some circumstances, the engagement crosses a line.

A bill is trying to curb betting on local college sports.

“Last year, I would say we got ripped into a lot, social media, DMs, as an individual and as a team,” Brendan Coyle, a Siena College basketball player, said Thursday.

Student-athletes are reporting harassment by angry bettors, specifically on social media.

“I have had some DMs and it could be related to sports betting now that I see the bigger picture,” said Valencia Fontenelle-Posson, also a Siena College basketball player.

Earlier this month, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) released new data on online harassment in college sports.

The artificial intelligence-powered investigation examined more than 1.3 million posts targeted at the social media profiles of student-athletes and coaches. More than 5,000 contained abusive, discriminatory or threatening content.

“The goal here is to prevent harm before it occurs,” Rep. Paul Tonko said at Siena College Thursday, weeks removed from introducing the Supporting Affordability and Fairness with Every Bet Act (SAFE Bet Act).

In addition to limiting the way online sports betting platforms advertise and interact with bettors, it would prohibit college prop bets, which allows fans to wager on specific events or a specific player's performance, rather than the game's result.

“So that the public is safe to enjoy gambling on sports as a recreational activity, and the athletes can play without the fear of being bombarded with harassments and threats,” Tonko said.

Right now, 18 of the 38 states where online sports betting is legal, including New York, bettors cannot place a wager on any in-state college sport.

Coaches and administrators say it’s presented some mental health challenges, but most athletes will tell you they’re there to learn and win.

“We’re here to play the sport that we love, but they’re adding a layer to it that makes it hard to continue to love a sport,” said Jennifer McClintock, Siena College women's cross-country and track and field athlete.