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With the resumption of the Premier League and Championships this week, after no action since early March, gambling campaigners are fearful of a ‘frenzy’ of customers placing bets on the beloved game.
Football Due To Return This Week
All twenty clubs will be gearing up for the return, with all now back to full contact training ready for the resumption. Its expected betting companies will continue with significant advertising as 61% have betting companies as their shirt sponsors. Sports gambling Apps and TV advertising is set to begin again with coverage around the grounds of clubs.With the country being in lockdown for the last three months due to the Covid pandemic, most sporting fixtures were either postponed or cancelled. Despite this, the sports betting market has remained buoyant during the period, despite the lack of sporting fixtures and people struggling with lack of finance while not working.
‘Concern’ Over Excessive Gambling
Gambling Campaigners have voiced concern after figures published during the three-month lockdown period saw 62% of ‘engaged gamblers’ spending more time and money in March/April. Figures also show, customers were engaging in more than one form of gambling during this period and spent more time online.Co founder of Gambling with Lives, Charles Richie voiced his concerns to the Guardian after his 17-year-old son took his own life,“ During lockdown people with gambling problems have increased the amount of time and money they spend on gambling. We fear the situation is going to get worse because alongside the welcome return of football and televised live games, we face the awful prospect of a massive boom in gambling advertising and marketing.”A spokesperson for the Betting and Gaming Council who represent gambling operators said several measures have been implemented to protect vulnerable people with problematic gambling during the lockdown period. “ With the return of some sports the ‘whistle-to-whistle’ ban on TV advertising during live sport will remain in place and we have further committed that 20% of all advertising will be safer gambling messaging. This is in addition to implementing a ban on gambling with credit cards, new strict age ID verification checks and providing additional funding for research, education and treatment.”