Southampton FC backs Safer Gambling Week
The club is working alongside Better Change for a second year, to provide a pop-up hub for fans on a match day, following a successful activation during last season’s Safer Gambling initiative, where over 1,000 fans engaged with Better Change representatives.
Better Change will be onsite at St Mary’s and will engage fans in discussions around Safer Gambling before the match against Cardiff City on 2 December. Post-game support will also be available, with the club supporting the delivery of online sessions with a Better Change gambling therapist for those requiring additional support.
To promote responsible gambling practices and provide helpful advice and guidance to fans, the club will also be sharing the insights of head of performance psychology, Malcolm Frame, through video which will be shared on club channels during Safer Gambling Week 2023 (13–19 November).
Charlie Boss, chief commercial officer from Southampton FC, said: “Promoting safer gambling is our responsibility as a club and part of our commitment to protect fans and the community. We’re really grateful to our partners and organisations like Better Change, who are helping to champion a safer future for our fans and the gambling industry, with responsible play at its heart.”
Southampton FC has a track record of supporting Safer Gambling Week, and in collaboration with its club partner Sportsbet.io, it recently hosted participants from Saints Foundation’s mental health support programme, Saints by Your Side, for a safer gambling workshop with Better Change.
David Richardson, head of strategic partnerships at Better Change, said: “Working with Southampton Football Club for over a year now has been a pleasure. They are a club that proactively make an impact with their Halo Effect forming the platform for their socially responsible activities.
“We play a part in this and support the club and the community it serves by educating about gambling and opening two-way dialogue on what is often perceived as a taboo subject. By breaking down the stigma we hope to signpost people who need any further support in the right direction as well as talking to fans about gambling and highlighting how this can be done safely from a positive play aspect.”
The club also continues to promote the use of RecoverMe’s mobile app, which provides fans with sessions on mindfulness in association with cognitive behavioural therapy and other tools to ensure gambling takes place safely and responsibly. The app can be downloaded from the App store or Google Play and Saints fans can access this for free using code: RECOVERME100.
Southampton FC’s work in this area is part of its social responsibility pledge within The Halo Effect, which is committed to ensuring a sustainable future for the club, its fans and its community.