Ban expected on betting firm sponsorship of football shirts

AFC Bournemouth have now agreed a deal with Dafabet as new front of shirt sponsors. It's a 2 year deal and they have taken over from MSP Capital [ who our new owners work for]

www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/sport/20235552.afc-bournemouth-announce-dafabet-new-front-of-shirt-sponsors/

I think a lot of people object to gambling firms sponsoring football firms because of the way they operate. They are not pro-active enough collectively in spotting those punters who may be getting into trouble and letting it become an addiction, and all the misery to themselves and their families that causes.

I have always believed that if you see a wrong or injustice and find it ethically wrong, that you should make your feelings known and try to do something about it. Apathy just leads us into more trouble.

That is why I wrote to the Southern League when BetVictor became their sponsor. Incidentally the current SL sponsor , Pitching In, is in fact a gambling firm in disguise. They are part of a the multi-national sports-betting and gaming group which owns Ladbrokes and Coral.

So I wrote to Liz Finney, AFCB supporter Liason Officer to express my views:-

""
Dear Ms Finney

As a supporter of many decades, and a season ticket holder for many years, I wish to express my dismay at the appointment of Defabet as the club's 'front of shirt' sponsor.

I was even more surprised considering there is proposed gambling firm shirt ban included in a recent draft government white paper. www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61532033

I appreciate that clubs can probably be paid twice as much more from gambling firms as they would from an ethical company. However you have to look at the bigger picture and consider the dubious practices of gambling firms such as tax avoidance and their involvement in the misery they cause in inducing people to get into financial difficulty.

The charity www.gamblingwithlives.org/ tells us that there are 400 plus suicides in the uk each year attributed to a gambling addiction. Also that probably 55,000 children in the uk are already addicted to gambling.

The respected review site Trustpilot has 87% of Defabet reviews as one star. Many reviewers openly stating that they think the company is fraudulent and are scammers.

Twenty football clubs have already written to the government asking for all advertising of gambling at clubs to be banned. I really thought that AFC Bournemouth had this kind of
integrity and am sorry you have decided to chase the '30 pieces of silver'

Yours truly "

As a result I did have a phone call from Rob Mitchell who is the Commercial Director at AFCB to explain their decision. Basically it boils down to money and that they would be at a disadvantage financially if they didnt take the money.

True to form the gambling firms, and other powerful bodies, are putting pressure on the Government not to go down the route outlined in the White Paper.

Steve - I'm sorry you are unable to see what Dave is getting at. I may be wrong but I don't believe there any Football Clubs sponsoring alchoholic drink firms on their shirts in England any more and just Celtic in Scotland.

I do believe well behaved dogs are now allowed to walk through the clubhouse (with their owners!) and partake in admiring the view of the pitch whilst their owners can get a coffee or a pint!
Not yet on match days but hopefullly a step in the right direction.

Gambling suicides and the misery gambling causes in general is a serious issue within society.

Talking about Dogs in the clubhouse and ground is rather going off topic. However as its been mentioned then there are tables and chairs out the front which I understand Dog Walkers are able to use.

My brother committed suicide 3 years ago after gambling debts ruined him. Nobody knew he was in trouble. He lost his house, job, wife and he had two children as well. He threw himself in front of a train. It was devestating for all his relatives and we are still grieving. We blame ourselves as we never guessed, except near the end when it all exploded. He hid it from everybody and borrowed as much money as he could.

He had run up debts with all the major bookmakers. There seemed to be no way they didnt talk to each other to stop him doing this so he just amassed more and more debt hoping for the big one it seems. He borrowed money left, right and centre.

Some people do not understand why people gamble to addiction but it is now recognised as an illness in its own right. Our family and our relatives now support the charity mentioned by DorsetDave in his post. It's important to recognise the signs of addiction and get help before it becomes fatal.