The state of Louisiana has dropped underage gambling and computer fraud charges against New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Tuesday.
Boutte, a 2023 sixth-round pick, was arrested in January on suspicion of placing numerous online sports bets while a minor at LSU. Louisiana State Police Gaming Enforcement Division investigators found that Boutte placed 8,927 individual sports bets beginning on April 6, 2022, and ending on May 7, 2023 – one week after he was drafted by the Patriots.
Boutte was 20 at the time, not old enough to gamble legally in Louisiana, and investigators believe he used an alias to cheat the age requirement. Investigators also said at least 17 bets were placed on NCAA football games, with at least six of them involving LSU.
Shortly after Boutte’s arrest, the NFL announced that it would launch its own investigation into Boutte’s activities, as a small portion of it occurred after he was drafted (and therefore employed by the Patriots). However, the NFL’s rules on sports gambling allow players to bet on any sport other than the NFL. Since there were no NFL games when Boutte was drafted, we know he didn’t bet on them while he was an employee.
While the dropping of the charges is likely a good sign for Boutte, as he no longer faces any charges in the state of Louisiana, the NFL may find more reason to be concerned. A league source told Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson in January that the NFL was not limiting its investigation just to bets Boutte made in Louisiana, but would investigate his conduct throughout his rookie year with the Patriots.
