The head of NHS England has raised concerns over the impact of sponsorship deals between betting companies and football clubs on young fans. Amanda Pritchard said such agreements expose kids to gambling and make them believe that engaging in the activity is ok.
New Addiction Clinics to Open this Summer
Pritchard made the comments as the NHS reported a massive rise in addiction referrals in 2022-23, with the numbers reaching a record 1,389, up from 1,013 in 2021-22 and 775 in 2020-2021.
NHS England will open seven more clinics in multiple locations throughout the country, in addition to the existing eight, to deal with the increasing number of patients seeking help and support. The new clinics will begin operating this summer.
On June 29, a coroner’s inquest into a gambling-related suicide case found that the betting firm in question, Betfair, failed to intervene when the victim’s gambling activity soared resulting in massive debts in the weeks before ending his own life.
Gambling operators and betting firms continue to target Brits through heavy gambling advertising and sponsorship deals with football firms. Pritchard wants these two areas to be address in a bid to curb the growing rate of problem gambling addiction in the UK.
