[News] Sport faces end of gambling cash in biggest crisis since tobacco ban

[Guinness Boy]

The trouble is, if football gets less money from betting companies who do you think it will be asking to plug the gap in the balance sheet?

The good news is we've cured your gambling addiction.

The bad news is your season ticket is now £3000 a year and a pint will set you back a tenner.

 

[RossyG]

I’d get rid of all shirt sponsorship. It looks ugly. Kits should be just the club colours not double as advertising hoardings.

Gambling, I think, is a mug’s game. That said, it should be a free choice. If people get into debt over it, that’s up to them. The government shouldn’t be their nanny. Part of being an adult is to take personal responsibility.

 

[drew]

I'm lucky enough never to have smoked or gambled. I think it is because I'm strong willed and can resist the temptation.
But even I will admit to downloading a betting app, just to see what all the fuss is about. Let's face it, a day doesn't go by when a thread about accas and winners doesn't appear. And that bet 365 ad, it just makes you feel as though we will all win big. Pre match odds of 9/1 a goal and free £20 bets or money back if you lose or other enticing offers.
They all need to stop.
I'm sure I understood that all betting ads during football were banned, what happened there?
No. For me, I can resist, but understand the thrill of placing £1 on a BHA win, then £2 to cover your loss, then £10 on a sure thing.
BAN THE LOT.

There is no need to ban the lot. It's like everything in life. I drink but don't drink regularly. Maybe a glass of wine or two at the weekend and a couple of beers whenever BHA play. I gamble but very infrequently. Out of lockdown, I play poker with friends once every two or three months. Go round each others house, the host cooks a meal and the most we lose is £10 (ie 2 x £5 buy ins). I play poker on line now and again but not regularly, For example, haven't played online since before xmas. Never bet much.

The problem is like in all walks of life, it's those that can't control it and start chasing the loses. Or those that drinking is habitual and daily.

One of the biggest bug bears with the gambling companies is that, as advocated on the Price of Football, there should be a levy on football bets that could help fund football at all levels. They are making millions on the back of football and only put back a pittance in sponsorship of a handful of clubs.

 

[drew]

I’d get rid of all shirt sponsorship. It looks ugly. Kits should be just the club colours not double as advertising hoardings.

Gambling, I think, is a mug’s game. That said, it should be a free choice. If people get into debt over it, that’s up to them. The government shouldn’t be their nanny. Part of being an adult is to take personal responsibility.

That's right. Ban shirt advertising. Of course, I'm sure you're happy for the increased ticket prices to make up the shortfall,

Gambling is a mugs game but then again you could say the same about football! Hate to think how much money I've spent in 45 years following one team up and down the country!!

 

[JackB247]

There's over a million people watching ITV Racing every Saturday at the moment, so I'd like to think at least some of them are the younger generation that are picking it up. (25 yr old employee of British racing myself)

 

[Eeyore]

It's 3/1 to be introduced this year. 6/4 next.

 

[Beach Hut]

Stoke are sponsored by Bet365 and owned by Bet365's owner, the highest paid person in the UK for the last 2 years.. I think Fun88 sponsor Newcastle.

It's a fine line on this as the owner of Bet365 paid the highest amount of income tax last year, £575m no less, so basically the Government can't have their cake and eat it.

That said there are way too many betting adverts and these companies are very underhand how they present a nice product that has ruined a lot of people.

 

[RossyG]

That's right. Ban shirt advertising. Of course, I'm sure you're happy for the increased ticket prices to make up the shortfall,

Or they could just not pay the players and executives silly money. They managed without shirt sponsorship up to about 1980.

Still, at least football has avoided on-pitch advertising so far, unlike rugby. That really does look tacky.

A friend of mine years ago worked at a bookies in Brixton. They actually had old-fashioned ledgers containing the accounts of many regulars with updated totals of their losses and wins. Every single one was a loss to the punter of hundreds even thousands of pounds.

People are entirely free to gamble whether online or in bookies, arcades, or casinos. I wouldn’t dream of stopping them. But I still reserve the right to have an opinion on the industry and that opinion is...

Mug’s game.

 

[Washie]

I’d get rid of all shirt sponsorship. It looks ugly. Kits should be just the club colours not double as advertising hoardings.

Gambling, I think, is a mug’s game. That said, it should be a free choice. If people get into debt over it, that’s up to them. The government shouldn’t be their nanny. Part of being an adult is to take personal responsibility.

It's really not as simple as that.

 

[studio150]

Does Football Shirt sponsorship actually work, and would the banning of betting site logos from shirts work.
I'm currently watching the Chelsea v Burnley game, and until I started reading this thread and took a closer look at the shirts, I wasn't aware that Burnley had a betting message on their shirts.
With all the Albion shirt sponsors I have never felt that I must get an Amex card, or only buy Skint records.

Even with the electronic advertising pitchside, I don't think yes I must buy or use whatever is flashing around the ground.

Maybe some people do take the jump, but I would have thought that the main entry into betting currently would be the amount of television commercials, rather than shirt sponsorship.

Yes, betting can ruin your life, and assistance should be available to help people realise that they have a gambling problem and how to stop the habit. However not everyone is a problem gambler and and aware of when to stop and only bet in moderation,

Given the amount of Tory backers that are involved in the British Horse racing Industry I can't see a blanket ban on advertising/sponsorship anytime soon.

Maybe shutdown the betting kiosks inside grounds to show the Government are taking action, but not much more for now, given the revenue the Government get from betting taxes and support from the Horse Racing backers.

 

[vagabond]

The trouble is, if football gets less money from betting companies who do you think it will be asking to plug the gap in the balance sheet?

Not all clubs have an affiliation with gambling companies.

Approx 40 percent of PL teams do.

Like other clubs they will simply have to find other sponsors. As we did getting a long term deal with a reputable company. Given the world wide audience top flight English football has i doubt any clubs will be short of offers.

 

[vagabond]

I agree with that - the "one of the lads" in the pub adverts are pretty obvious. But as someone who regularly plays poker and bets small amounts on football, racing and politics I cannot completely condemn gambling or gambling money, doubly so as a Brighton fan. I quite like the Robin Hood idea of [MENTION=12517]herecomesaregular[/MENTION] though. Maybe that's where I'll set my moral compass on this one.

I enjoy poker too and I also have the odd flutter from time to time, so I have no issue with gambling as a bit of fun as long as it’s regulated and not forced down people’s throats and advertised during games on tv/radio where kids are listening.

 

[The Wookiee]

I’m watching the Chelsea v Burnley game - I’ve just spent all money with Love Bet so I have been down town a robbed the Three Mobile shop whilst escaping in a stolen Hyundai car ! Thank you sports advertising!!

 

[A1X]

I hear sometimes they screen some actual football to break up the constant betting adverts on Sky

 

[andy1980]

Not all clubs have an affiliation with gambling companies.

Approx 40 percent of PL teams do.

Like other clubs they will simply have to find other sponsors. As we did getting a long term deal with a reputable company. Given the world wide audience top flight English football has i doubt any clubs will be short of offers.

If you take away the big 6 then 8 out of 14 have gambling shirt sponsors. If you include sleeve sponsors that increases to 9 out of 14. The reason its so high is because they pay the most money to the minnows of the league.

We are lucky with American Express. They have a connection with Brighton and Brighton and Hove Albion is part of that. If they weren't intrenched in Brighton I am sure they wouldn't be sponsoring us now. We have taken advantage of that.

 

[elwheelio]

Not all clubs have an affiliation with gambling companies.

Approx 40 percent of PL teams do.

Like other clubs they will simply have to find other sponsors. As we did getting a long term deal with a reputable company. Given the world wide audience top flight English football has i doubt any clubs will be short of offers.

They might not directly but gambling must pay loads towards TV, print and online advertising. If that goes down if affects everyone.

 

[Wozza]

Does Football Shirt sponsorship actually work, and would the banning of betting site logos from shirts work.
I'm currently watching the Chelsea v Burnley game, and until I started reading this thread and took a closer look at the shirts, I wasn't aware that Burnley had a betting message on their shirts.
With all the Albion shirt sponsors I have never felt that I must get an Amex card, or only buy Skint records.

Shirt sponsorship is about BRANDING - increasing recognition, credibility and all the rest - not direct sales. (And in the Premier League, it's obviously GLOBAL branding.)

It works VERY well, hence the crazy money paid.

 

[Change at Barnham]

The UK's sporting industry was going to collapse when tobacco sponsorship was banned, and then again when alcohol sponsorship was restricted.
I'm sure that there will be plenty of industries prepared to fill the sponsorship gap.

With our long term relationship with American Express we will hopefully benefit from the loss of income at other clubs who have gambling companies as sponsors.

 

[BN9 BHA]

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I’m not a betting man, I’m also not a fan of Ed Sheeran’s music but it’s nice to see he pays his tax.

 

[Seagull58]

It's a fine line on this as the owner of Bet365 paid the highest amount of income tax last year, £575m no less, so basically the Government can't have their cake and eat it.

That said there are way too many betting adverts and these companies are very underhand how they present a nice product that has ruined a lot of people.

As I recall, she was paid a little over 300 million. How did she end up paying 575 million in income tax?