SAFER GAMBLING: United sign up to show support

United have signed up to support Safer Gambling Week, the public awareness campaign to trigger a national conversation about what it means to gamble responsibly.

Safer Gambling Week 2020, which takes place from 19 – 25 November under the hashtag #SGWeek20, is the public face of year-round commitment to promoting safer gambling.

More than 120,000 staff at thousands of gambling venues and online sites are due to be taking part, and this marks the third consecutive year that clubs from the Premier League and English Football League are participating.

United's support will encompass carrying #SGWeek20 messages on LED screens on matchdays and publishing information on #SGWeek20 on the club website and social channels throughout the week detailing the five key responsible gambling behaviours:

  • 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 relationship

The campaign is led by the key trade associations the Betting and Gambling Council, The Bingo Association, bacta 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 and supporters to promote social responsibility throughout the year.

The campaign has also attracted the support of the EFL, Sky Bet and BetVictor, who will dedicate advertising space in matchday programmes, on big screens and across their social channels.

A new website, www.safergamblingUK.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.

Media officer Andy Hall said: "At Carlisle United we have always been supporters of the Safer Gambling initiative.

"We are aware that a number of fans enjoy a match day flutter on the Blues, and that's how we want it to stay.

"This initiative helps to get some key messages across and we hope that it does spark converstions on what is a very important issue."

A Safer Gambling Week spokesperson said: “We are delighted that Carlisle United will be supporting Safer Gambling Week.

"We want to take the message about safer gambling even further this year, and are hoping that this will be our biggest campaign yet.

"The continued engagement and support of football clubs is enormously helpful in highlighting the Week and triggering conversations about what it means to gamble safely throughout the year.”

For more information on Safer Gambling Week 2020 (SGWeek20) visit www.safergamblingweek.org, or the Safer Gambling UK web site www.safergamblinguk.org, or join the conversation on  social media @SGWeek20 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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