Problem gambling financing organization GambleAware has appointed former English goalkeeper David James as ambassador for its Bet Regret campaign, whose next round will focus on preventing fans from placing impulsive bets.
Regrets to fans across the UK during the two-week international football break, which will not feature Premier League or Championship games, with many players in each league competing with their national teams.
More than 25 million people in the UK are supporting a Premier League or championship club, according to YouGov, a 2019 report and data company, and the lack of high-profile home games during this time is boring some fans.
GambleAware calls boredom to be drunk and hunting for losses, as one of three behaviors they have identified that can lead to placing impulsive bets before they immediately feel remorseful.
Promote Safe Gambling
To combat this potential boredom, James will be seen in a series of videos to prevent fans from placing impulsive bets.
The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA), which supports the Bet Regret campaign during the 2019/20 season, will also be releasing a series of “Beat The Break Brain Busters” during the international break to allow fans to focus their attention on impetuous betting.
“Promoting safer gambling in football is important to me,” said James. “There’s so much exposure to betting and it’s always easier to bet impulsively, so I encourage football fans to think twice about how they bet.”
After this first campaign, James will encourage fans to moderate their betting habits throughout the season, and support other initiatives that urge fans to think twice before placing a bet, when bored, drunk or chasing losses.
“Helping fans break the break this October is just the beginning, and I look forward to working with GambleAware and the FSA this season to raise awareness of Bet Regret,” James added.