MP tells teams to reject betting firms’ cash
Ronnie Cowan is writing to all 42 professional sides urging them to sign a charter being launched at Westminster on Wednesday.
The agreement would see them end all sponsorship deals with gambling companies and refuse to display advertising in their grounds, in print or digitally.
It comes after the Sunday Mail M revealed SFA chiefs s secretly banned players for breaking betting rules. Hamilton Accies boss Brian Rice received a 10-match ban, which was suspended for f ive games, after he breached regulations to feed his compulsive habit.
Cowan, vice-chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on GamblingRelated Harm, said: “I welcome the launch of the Football Gambling Charter, which aims for clubs to pledge never to accept any form of sponsorship or donation from the gambling industry and to refuse to display any gamblingrelated advertisement in their grounds, in print or digitally.
“This is something I will be highlighting to all professional clubs in Scotland and encouraging them to sign up to.”
Cowan has met SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster and the SFA’s head Ian Maxwell to ask them to protect fans and players from a looming gambling-related mental health crisis. The SNP Inverclyde MP added: “I hope the organisations will ensure players and club officials know of the support which is available if gambling has become problematic.”
The football charter has been created in conjunction with English side Lewes FC, who are sponsored by the charity Gambling with Lives, and have said they won’t take any funding or sponsorship from gambling companies.
A report last year found gambling addicts were 15 times more likely to take their own lives than non-gamblers.