Responsible Gambling Week 2019 begins today (November 7th) and is part of the industry’s year-round commitment to promote safer gambling. More than 120,000 staff at thousands of gambling venues and online sites are taking part, and this marks the second consecutive year that clubs from the Premier League like Crystal Palace are participating in its promotion.
The campaign aims to highlight five essential recommendations to supporters when they gamble:
- Only spend what you can afford
- Set your limits for time and money
- Gambling is not the answer to any problem
- Gambling when angry or upset is not a good idea
- Gambling shouldn’t interfere with your personal relationships
The campaign is led by the Industry Group for Responsible Gambling, comprised of all the gambling trade associations, and in Ireland by the Irish Bookmakers Association. The objective is to trigger a national conversation about safer gambling, highlighting the tools, advice and help available to customers, and the initiatives being taken by operators to promote social responsibility.
A new website, www.responsiblegamblinguk.org, will act as an information hub, providing a comprehensive one-stop service for consumers all year round, educating them about all aspects of responsible gambling.
Barry Webber, Palace’s Commercial Director, said: “As a Premier League club, we recognise our responsibility to help promote safe and responsible gambling to our supporters. We were the first Premier League club to form a partnership with GambleAware more than a year ago, and we remain committed to helping spread helpful and practical guidance to fans about responsible gambling.”
Jon Collins, Director of ManBetX, CPFC’s shirt sponsor said: “ManBetX are committed to helping people gamble responsibly and welcome the club’s involvement with Responsible Gambling Week. As the official shirt sponsor of Crystal Palace FC, we have an added degree of responsibility to support those who offer help and free advice to ensure people gamble responsibly, both within football and the wider community.”
John Hagan, chairman of the IGRG, said: “We are delighted that Crystal Palace is supporting Responsible Gambling Week. We want to take the message about safer gambling even further this year and are confident this will be our biggest campaign yet. The continued engagement and support of football clubs is enormously helpful in highlighting the week and triggering a national conversation about what it means to gamble responsibly throughout the year.”