Shame of stars ‘ luring children into gambling’

POPULar sports stars, actors and models are ‘ targeting’ children as young as eight by promoting gambling companies on television and social media, critics said last night.

Celebrities such as former england footballer alan shearer and heavyweight boxer anthony Joshua are followed by millions – including many children – on social media accounts which they use to advertise bookmakers.

Campaigners and MPs said the stars’ role as ‘ambassadors’ has been instrumental in normalising betting.

some 125,000 children aged 11 to 16 are ‘problem’ gamblers or at risk of addiction, a report published yesterday found.

Nearly four times as many are regular gamblers, the Gambling Commission said.

Despite criticism of their role in ‘promoting’ gambling to children, many celebrities are still on lucrative contracts with the companies.

robbie savage, a pundit on BBC radio 5 Live, regularly posts tips for William hill to his 1.76million followers on Twitter. The ex-Premier League star, 44, has plugged the bookmaker 15 times in the past month, with messages including ‘Fancy a free bet?’

Meanwhile, shearer, another BBC pundit, is an ‘ambassador’ for bookmaker Coral.

he regularly promotes the firm to his 706,000 followers by posting links to the ‘news’ section on Coral’s website, where he writes a blog.

Former england cricket captain Michael Vaughan, who works on the BBC’s Test Match special, is the face of

From yesterday’s Mail online bookmakers Mr Green and tweets promotions to his 1.1million followers.

BBC pundits are allowed to promote bookies while working at the Corporation as its guidelines state only that ‘care must be taken’ when advertising gambling.

Beyond the BBC, gambling firms have hired several stars admired by young people. In august boxing champion Joshua became a William hill ‘global ambassador’. he told his 2.23million followers: ‘We’ve just added another big team member. Welcome William hill.’

actor James Buckley, who starred in Channel 4 comedy series The Inbetweeners, appeared in Ladbrokes’ World Cup campaign. and model Kelly Brook was also involved in the firm’s ‘ Bettors of Britain’ campaign.

Three stars of reality TV show Geordie shore – Gary Beadle, scott Timlin and aaron Chalmers – have also posted promotions online as Ladbrokes Coral ‘affiliates’.

The Bishop of st albans, the rt revd Dr alan smith, who campaigns for tighter regulation on gambling advertising, said: ‘Personalities and entertainers need to wake up to the fact their actions online have consequences in the real world. The more they promote gambling the more children will fall victim to the gambling industry.’

Terry White, an ex-addict who lost £250,000, said: ‘It’s a blatant attempt to identify children as young as eight.’

representatives for shearer, savage, Vaughan, Joshua, Buckley and Miss Brook were contacted for comment. spokesmen for Beadle, Timlin and Chalmers declined to comment.

More than 300,000 teenagers have spent money ‘gambling’ on virtual items bought in video games, a report has found. Children as young as 13 are trading the so-called ‘skins’ on games such as Fortnite, Parent Zone said.