SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
EPIC Risk Management will deliver a £1 million programme funded by Sky Bet to educate the 72 football league clubs about gambling related harm.
The programme, designed for both players and club staff, will be delivered by the independent harm minimisation consultancy as part of the renewed English Football League (EFL) sponsorship for Sky Bet, who serve as the title sponsor of the EFL’s Championship, League 1 and League 2 competitions.
It will begin at Birmingham City, Norwich City, Charlton Athletic, Brentford, Accrington Stanley, Carlisle United, Lincoln City, Newport County, Oldham Athletic and Portsmouth during the off-season.
Sky Betting & Gaming CEO Richard Flint said: “When we announced the extension of our EFL sponsorship we were keen to put safer gambling at the heart of our renewed partnership.
“By funding such a vital service for every club we want to play our part in reducing gambling related harm amongst their players and wider staff. I firmly believe that responsible operators can add value to sport through partnerships like this.”
EFL Chief Executive Shaun Harvey added: “Betting in football should only serve to enhance the match day experience and I hope that by providing our campaign with visibility at every single game that supporters will be encouraged to stay in control and gamble safely.”
“The work that will take place with EFL clubs, players and staff alike is a hugely significant step forward and will hopefully have a positive impact on all participants in the professional game for years to come.”
The announcement comes just a month after The Senet Group moved to waive copyright restrictions on its popular responsible gambling campaign, ‘When the Fun Stops, Stop’, to increase the scale of its consumer engagement ahead of this summer’s World Cup.
