GVC Holdings is to donate its football sponsorship assets across England and Scotland to GambleAware, in support of the independent charity’s ‘Bet Regret’ campaign.
In total 42 clubs are to see the removal of sponsorship assets relating to the gaming and betting group, with the news coming ahead of the Scottish Professional Football League and English Football League campaigns that get underway this weekend.
The SPFL will see the Ladbrokes logo removed across all clubs represented, including interview backdrops as well as static and LED boards, will the Bet Regret campaign logo set to be evident instead.
The move is an attempt to encourage football fans to moderate their betting behaviour, with a statement stressing it’s striving to “avoid the sinking feeling bettors often get when they make an impulsive bet, particularly when bored, chasing losses or drunk”.
A number of English clubs who have GVC companies as commercial partners are to also replace gambling promotion with Bet Regret messaging, including Sunderland, West Bromwich Albion, Burnley, Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United.
Patrick Kerr, director of safer gambling at GVC Holdings, explained: “Whilst we want football fans to be able to enjoy a bet, we recognise the importance of doing this in a safe, responsible way.
“Handing over this valuable inventory to GambleAware is a demonstration that we are committed to helping our customers bet in a safe and responsible way, and we look forward to continuing to promote the Bet Regret campaign in the future to help increase awareness about safer gambling.”
Targeting an audience estimated at 2.4m aged between 16-34 who gamble regularly on sport, and of which 87 per cent regularly watch football, the campaign is centred around raising awareness of three risky behaviours.
Marc Etches, chief executive officer for GambleAware, added: “We are delighted that GVC Holdings has made this move to support the Bet Regret campaign. With the number of opportunities to bet and exposure to messages associated with gambling being so prevalent in football, it’s incredibly important that football fans think twice about betting when drunk, bored or chasing losses.”
