Football Supporters Against Gambling Ads

Campaigns (30)

• Liverpool
  

  Everton FC: Kick gambling ads out of football!

  The football club I support and love, Everton FC, has announced a multi-year partnership with an online gambling company called Stake. The Stake.com brand will feature on the front of the men’s and women’s playing shirts, as well as appearing on screens and media backdrops at Goodison Park, Finch Farm training facility and across the Club’s digital platforms from July 1st 2022. Children and young supporters will be bombarded with the Stake.com brand every time they watch their favourite team play. The advertisement of such a harmful product to children is dangerous and irresponsible. I should know the dangers. As someone who suffered with a gambling addiction for many years. I wouldn’t wish what I went through, the devastation my family and friends experienced, and what other young people are in danger of, on anyone. Gambling harms millions of people in the UK and takes hundreds of lives every year, leaving broken and bereaved families behind. There are already 55,000 children addicted to gambling in this country and the impact is felt disproportionately amongst more deprived areas - such as the one our club represents. The advertisement of such a dangerously addictive product increases the risk of this figure going higher. These obscene levels of harm is why the UK government is strongly rumoured to end all types of gambling sponsorship imminently. I can't wait for government to act. In the meantime, we can urge Everton FC to recognise the dangers of entering into partnership with an online gambling company. Our current chief executive Denise Barrett-Baxendale clearly recognised these dangers in 2020, when she stated In an ideal world the club would not be sponsored by a gambling company. She also stated ‘we certainly don’t want to be responsible for driving irresponsible betting’ In recognising the many dangers of this partnership, our club should drop this partnership with Stake. Everton are the people’s club. It is a club that cares deeply for the people, and it’s supporters. Everton, over the years, have constantly set very high standards and trends for others to follow. We have to maintain these high standards. A partnership with Stake cannot sit comfortably alongside the fantastic work done by the club’s Everton In The Community in tackling mental health issues. I'm calling on fellow blues, and other football fans, to urge Everton to U-turn on this gambling partnership. Fellow Evertonians, I ask you three questions: - Don't want to be walking billboard for an online casino? - Do you want our young fans to be able to wear the same shirt as the players and as us adults? - Do you think the many people harmed by gambling - like me - deserve to be able to watch the club we love without being encouraged to gamble? If your answer is yes to all these questions, please support me by adding your name to this petition. Thank you Ben

  32,178 of 35,000 Signatures

  Created by Ben Melvin
• 

  The English Football League should not be sponsored by a gambling company

  The government must take immediate action on the relationship between gambling and football, following the revelation that the EFL sponsorship deal with Sky Bet has resulted in clubs taking a cut of their own fans’ gambling losses. The largest perpetrator of gambling harm is not football itself, it’s gambling companies who exploit the sport and fans for obscene profit. The Sky Bet sponsorship of the football league means that all 72 clubs are essentially forced to advertise gambling on their shirts, in their stadiums and on their websites – even if they don’t want to. This is unacceptable and this latest development is the final straw in a relationship that has clearly gone too far. Only last year, Sky Betting and Gaming was fined £1.2million by the Gambling Commission for sending 100 “free spins” to self-excluded gamblers, many of whom were recovering from gambling disorder. We urge you to legislate against gambling companies from sponsoring our national sport. There are now multiple EFL clubs such as Luton Town, Bolton Wanderers, Tranmere Rovers and Forest Green Rovers who deserve praise and recognition for thriving without gambling sponsorship – it's time for every club to do the same. With the vast amount of gambling profits coming from a small percentage of customers, we know much of this money will come from addiction, from destroyed families and from those who have taken their life due to gambling. There are millions of people either at risk or already addicted to gambling in the UK and many more being severely harmed by a gambler’s addiction. Worse still, Public Health England estimates there are 409 yearly gambling-related deaths in England alone, more than one every day. It is undeniable that football is so often the starting point that draws young people into years of harm for them and their loved ones. Football brings joy to fans and communities. But benefiting directly from the promotion of an addictive product is at odds with this commendable work.

  22,384 of 25,000 Signatures

  Created by FootballSupporters AgainstGamblingAds
• Leicester
  

  Leicester City FC: Kick gambling ads out of football!

  In April 2021, my husband Luke Ashton took his life because of gambling. The gambling operators didn’t stop him, instead they gave Luke so-called “free bet” bonuses so that he would gamble more, even when he was trying to stop. Apart from his family, Leicester City FC was Luke’s biggest passion. So it is beyond saddening that LCFC has the most gambling partners of any English club. What example does this set to young Foxes fans and the tens of thousands of people harmed by gambling in our community – including people whose lives have been shattered after losing loved ones to gambling? How do LCFC’s gambling partnerships, coupled with the broad range of undisputable evidence that shows gambling is addictive and harmful – leading to 409 suicides a year in England alone – fit with the club’s safeguarding policy to protect its staff and young supporters? After Luke died, I made a vow to take our son to every Leicester City home game. We had kept to that, but soon he no longer wanted to go. He asked me why they had the word “bet” and other gambling adverts flashing incessantly around the pitch? His eyes are drawn to them, they are inescapable, and he sinks into his seat when he sees them. What do you say to a child that loves football but has lost his dad to the very thing that’s being advertised as fun around his club’s stadium? To prevent any other families from going through what we’ve gone through, I’m asking Leicester City FC to commit to ending its relationships with all its gambling partners, to say no to any new partners, and to back The Big Step campaign.

  6,932 of 7,000 Signatures

  Created by Annie Ashton
• London
  

  West Ham United FC: Kick gambling ads out of football!

  My name is Chris and I am in recovery from gambling addiction. I am a huge football fan and a West Ham United FC season ticket holder. I am surrounded by gambling advertising and sponsorship at every West Ham match. It was being subjected to this matchday advertising, as well as watching games on TV that led me to download my first betting app. I downloaded that app to bet on the outcome of a football match. However, within a number of weeks, I was gambling on in-play football, foreign football, horses, dogs, virtual racing, and then casino products such as slots and roulette. I was missing days at work, my relationships with friends and family became strained and my mental health was ruined. I was gambling online, in land-based casinos, bookmakers, and at Romford dogs. I had never gambled before downloading that first app at the age of 30. I did not appreciate how dangerous gambling can be. I also did not understand how the gambling industry would lure me in. After downloading the app I started to receive emails offering free bets, offering me free spins in a casino. They were cross-selling their most addictive products to me, but at the time I did not understand the dangers. The more money that I lost the more incentives I received. I was made a VIP and was given free money to gamble with. Rather than giving me free money to keep me gambling, the gambling operators should have been intervening. They didn't, and my experience is very common. Less than six years after placing my first bet I was sitting in my sister-in-law's house ready to take my own life. Fortunately, I am still alive. I am one of the lucky ones. Now in recovery, I try to help others who find themselves in the position that I was in and do all I can to prevent avoidable gambling harm. I co-founded both the All Bets Are Off podcast gambling addiction recovery podcast and a charity called Gambling Education Network. There are 409 deaths related to gambling every year in England alone and a YouGov study from this year shows that 2.9 million people are either already addicted or at risk of being so, with a further 3.3 million classified as “affected others”. These stark figures show what we already know: gambling harm is not an issue affecting just a small minority, it is severely harming – sometimes killing – many. To prevent any young fan from experiencing what I and so many others did, I'm urging West Ham United FC to cancel all gambling partnerships, say no to any new offers, and back The Big Step campaign.

  3,010 of 4,000 Signatures

  Created by Chris Gilham
• Leeds
  

  Leeds United: Kick gambling ads out of football

  My beautiful daughter Kimberly Rebecca Wadsworth took her life on 5th June 2018 at 32 years of age, after struggling with gambling addiction. Kimberly’s addiction came rapidly, she was given “VIP” status by a gambling firm and was groomed and given “free bet” bonuses and similar promotional offers to keep her gambling, even when she was clearly losing large, unsustainable amounts of money. Kimberly was born and grew up in Leeds and was a United supporter, and went to games at Elland Road. Every time she watched Leeds play she would have been encouraged to do the thing that was destroying her life. I was recently grateful to meet with the club to share Kimberly's story. I know they do great work in the community, but they must also make a stand against harmful gambling advertising. There are 409 gambling-related suicides every year, and each death is one too many. Gambling needs to stop being advertised on TV, on football shirts and around the grounds. These highly addictive products must also be regulated properly to stop people from dying like my daughter did. Support this campaign for your children's sake, for your grandchildren, and our future generations, because with highly addictive products and predatory marketing, addiction can happen to anyone. The only messaging we see is that gambling is “FUN” and other subliminal messaging that normalises it where the reality is that gambling kills every day.

  1,162 of 2,000 Signatures

  Created by Kay Wadsworth
• Brighton
  

  Brighton and Hove Albion FC: Kick gambling ads out of football!

  My name is Simon and I have suffered with a gambling addiction for 11 years. I am now in recovery but it has not been easy and started with a bet on football with the lads in the pub. This escalated quickly and have lost close friends and family from this addiction. I would never want this to happen to anyone else and so easy to get addicted. There are 409 deaths related to gambling every year in England alone and a YouGov study from this year shows that 2.9 million people are either already addicted or at risk of being so, with a further 3.3 million classified as “affected others”. These stark figures show what we already know: gambling harm is not an issue affecting just a small minority, it is severely harming – sometimes killing – many. To prevent any young fan from experiencing what I and so many others did, I'm urging Brighton and Hove Albion FC to cancel all gambling partnerships, say no to any new offers, and back The Big Step campaign.

  990 of 1,000 Signatures

  Created by simon dunk
• London
  

  Arsenal FC: Kick gambling ads out of football!

  I'm Calvin a compulsive gambler in recovery. I started gambling a few pounds a week on football pools when I was 19. At first it wasn't an issue, and was just a bit of fun. However, in my early 20's I started gambling online to the point of being completely out of control. Every Friday was payday, and I would wake up in the early hours knowing my wages had hit the bank and gambled the majority of my wages away. Even if I won a substantial amount of money I would just keep going until I lost everything. I racked up £1000s of debt due to my gambling, and my mental health really suffered. I would often just look in the mirror and scream at myself, but still I just continued in the cycle of self destruction. My gambling addiction had a massive impact on my family, relationships and also my love for football as I started to become more interested in gambling rather than enjoying the beautiful game that millions of people love. Gambling advertising and sponsorship is rife in football, the rise in gambling advertisement around football stadiums is shocking. There are 409 deaths related to gambling every year in England alone and a YouGov study from this year shows that 2.9 million people are either already addicted or at risk of being so, with a further 3.3 million classified as “affected others”. These stark figures show what we already know: gambling harm is not an issue affecting just a small minority, it is severely harming – sometimes killing – many. To prevent any young fan from experiencing what I and so many others did, I'm urging Arsenal FC to cancel all gambling partnerships, say no to any new offers, and back The Big Step campaign. The Big Step is a campaign to end all gambling advertising and sponsorship in football, led by people harmed by gambling. We are part of Gambling with Lives, a charity set up by the families and friends of young people who have taken their own lives as a direct result of gambling.

  987 of 1,000 Signatures

  Created by Calvin Findlay
• Liverpool
  

  Liverpool FC: Kick gambling ads out of football!!

  My son Ryan was 27 when he took his own life after becoming addicted to gambling. He loved Liverpool FC, but his club and the game he worshipped let him down by constantly telling him to do the thing that would lead to his death. Weeks before Ryan died, he told a fellow gambler that he found stopping so difficult because of the advertising. With 409 deaths related to gambling every year in England alone, football must stop promoting dangerous and addictive products to millions each week – a recent study found that up to 700 gambling adverts can appear during a single televised Premier League match. A YouGov study from this year showing that 2.9 million people are either already addicted or at risk of being so, with a further 3.3 million classified as “affected others”. These stark figures show what we already know: gambling harm is not an issue affecting just a small minority, it is severely harming – sometimes killing – many. I want the club my son loved, Liverpool FC, to cancel all existing partnerships with gambling companies, to reject future partnerships, and to back The Big Step campaign to end all gambling advertising in football so no family has to go through what mine has.

  959 of 1,000 Signatures

  Created by John Myers
• Bournemouth
  

  AFC Bournemouth: Kick gambling ads out of football!

  Today, AFC Bournemouth announced a two-year partnership with Dafabet, a Phillipines-based online betting company. As a result, the company’s logo will appear across the club’s Vitality Stadium, its shirt and various other online promotions. Why do I care? Because gambling doesn’t just destroy lives. Gambling kills. Gambling-related harm impacts millions of people either directly or indirectly. Research indicates there are between 250 and 650 gambling-related suicides in the UK each year, with football often acting as the hook that draws gamblers in. This industry has been normalised by the increase amongst young people through gambling advertising during live sport. There is evidence that children of primary school age have brand loyalty towards certain gambling companies: a degree of normalisation has led to four in five university students losing an average of £30 every week to gambling. Children shouldn’t be exposed to gambling advertising at all, so at the very least it should not be marketed in football stadiums. If you don’t think that’s a problem, the numbers are there for all to see. Ipsos Mori found that 37% of 11-16-year-olds in England and Scotland have gambled in the last 12 months and almost 2% of these are classified as ‘problem’ gamblers. It’s not just children who are affected. Former Cherries midfielder Warren Aspinall has said that his gambling addiction almost drove him to take his own life. He’s not alone. There are between 430,000 and 1.4 million people currently addicted to gambling in the UK, with those suffering from gambling disorder up to 15 times more likely to take their own lives than members of the general population. Could you imagine any other industry that causes this much harm being shown to millions of people every weekend? AFC Bournemouth proudly claims that ‘Together, Anything Is Possible’. They know it doesn’t have toi be like this. Earlier this year, 20 clubs wrote an open letter to the government calling for a ban on gambling adverts in football. Reports show that if gambling sponsorship was banned and replaced, it would lead to just a 2.5% cut in revenues. I believe that’s a price worth paying and so do clubs like Bolton Wanderers, Luton Town and Tranmere Rovers. In the Scottish Premier League, Hearts have openly commented that they found it fairly easy to find alternative sponsors. I’m calling on AFC Bournemouth fans to join with a growing wave of support for an end to gambling sponsorship in football. In doing so, we can: Make football a safer place for its community, young and old, to not feel pressured into gambling. Give children the chance to wear the same shirts as their parents and the players they adore. Make AFC Bournemouth a club where those who have been harmed by gambling can watch the club they love without encouragement to gamble. Please support me by adding your name to this petition.

  860 of 1,000 Signatures

  Created by James Swyer
• Manchester
  

  Manchester United FC: Kick gambling ads out of football!

  My son Philip was 29 when he took his own life in 2017 after becoming addicted to gambling. Philip was a huge football fan – Manchester United is our family team and he loved them. Like many of his friends, Philip started out by gambling on football but then using started fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs) and online casino games as his addiction worsened. Football started Philip’s addiction – it was his ‘in and sold him the idea that gambling was a safe activity. One study recently found that 700 gambling adverts can appear during a single televised Premier League game. The game my son loved told him that gambling was safe and fun, but it didn’t tell him about any of the risks – about the high suicide risk or how dangerous certain gambling products are. Public Health England estimates there are 409 suicides linked to gambling each year in England alone, with a study finding that people suffering from gambling disorder are 15 times more likely to take their lives. There are up to 1.4 million people addicted to gambling in the UK and football must stop selling the idea gambling is safe.

  830 of 1,000 Signatures

  Created by Kindal Tomlinson