Online betting platform Football Index has donated its shirt sponsorships of Nottingham Forest and Queens Park Rangers football clubs to the Young Gamers and Gamblers Education Trust (YGAM), to help raise awareness of the charity during Safer Gambling Week.
Queens Park Rangers will be wearing special edition shirts for their match against Watford on Saturday, 21 November, while Nottingham Forest will be sporting the YGAM logo while away at Bournemouth on Tuesday, 24 November.
Football Index will also be donating £5,000 to YGAM to further support the charity’s work.
Football Index is the principal shirt sponsor for both clubs this season, and aims to trigger a conversation about safer gambling and help YGAM to reach more football fans through the gesture.
The initiative follows Football Index’s project earlier this year which saw it launch a new gambling awareness initiative with Nottingham Forest, highlighting the importance of safer gambling and helping educate football supporters in local communities.
YGAM’s co-founder, Anne Evans, a life-long Nottingham Forest fan herself, said: “Education is essential if we are to safeguard our children and young people from the risks.
“I’m hoping the profile of these two great clubs, alongside Football Index’s support, will help us reach more communities, families and young people”
Mike Bohan, co-founder of Football Index, added that the operator was delighted to support YGAM and promote Safer Gambling Week.
“At Football Index, we have always made safer gambling one of our utmost priorities, and we are incredibly pleased to be able to support YGAM’s important work to educate future generations and prevent harm.”
“We hope that this initiative will increase awareness and prove an important step towards ensuring young people have the information and knowledge to make informed decisions about gambling.”
Daniel Bliss, director of external affairs at YGAM, also expressed his gratitude to Football Index and to the two clubs.
He said: “It is vital that we educate our future generations about the potential risks associated with gambling so we can collectively help prevent harm. This weekend will provide an important opportunity to raise the profile of the charity and help us support parents, teachers and young people across all communities.”
Safer Gambling Week begins today (19 November), and will take place until 25 November. Despite difficulties caused by the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC)’s chief executive, Michael Dugher, said lockdowns would not diminish the impact of the initiative.
The BGC said that while retail gaming locations would remain closed, online operators would be starting conversations with their customers about the help that is available, and would be promoting safer gambling tools such as spend or time limits.
