- The #BetRegret Cup is part of the country’s biggest safer gambling campaign, Bet Regret, to raise awareness of impulsive betting behaviours and encourage behaviour change
- The five-a-side tournament has been launched to speak directly to the target audience of young male sports bettors with the help of ex-England football internationals including Shaun Wright-Phillips, David James and Glen Johnson
- The tournament is part of the wider ‘Bet Regret’ campaign, targeted at 18-34- year-old bettors, of whom nearly 3 in 5 play grassroots football
- Bet Regret describes the universal sinking feeling bettors often get when they make an impulsive bet - particularly when bored, chasing losses or drunk
- Local five-a-side teams can register online for the tournament, held in association with Powerleague
London, 3rd June: GambleAware, the charity tasked with reducing gambling harms in Great Britain, today launched the #BetRegret Cup, offering the chance for five-a-side football players from across the country to play against a star-studded line-up of ex-England internationals.
With regional tournaments taking place across 26 five-a-side Powerleague centres, from Cardiff to Croydon and Glasgow to Gateshead, the #BetRegret Cup will encourage the football community across the country to reflect on their betting behaviour.
The ‘Bet Regret’ campaign was launched earlier this year, targeted at sports bettors aged 18-34, the age range typically found at five-a-side centres in the UK, and of which 87% regularly watch football.
The tournament and campaign are aimed at young men, with a recent survey stating that 63% of young male sports bettors said there are too many opportunities to bet nowadays, and 67% agreeing that it is easy to get drawn into making impulsive bets. The winners from each regional have the once-in-a-lifetime chance to take on some of English football’s biggest ex-players at the national finals in London. With 99 caps between them, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Carlton Cole, Glen Johnson and Paul Konchesky will be outfield for the #BetRegret team, and opponents who can get the ball off them will have the tricky task of getting past David James, with 169 Premier League clean sheets and 53 England caps, behind him.
Shaun Wright-Phillips, Ex-Manchester City, Chelsea and England winger who is one part of the #BetRegret team said: “The Bet Regret campaign has come at an important time; you only have to watch football on TV to see how many betting adverts there are, and how easy it is to place impulsive bets that you might immediately regret. I’m looking forward to playing in the #BetRegret Cup and encouraging a lot of young lads to think about their betting behaviour in the future.”
Marc Etches, Chief Executive Officer for GambleAware, said: “Working alongside the football community in Britain is a positive and potentially effective way to encourage young men to reflect on their gambling behaviour and prevent harm. We know that football is their most popular sport to watch, play and bet on. The #BetRegret Cup is intended to raise the profile of Bet Regret across the football community and encourage further self-reflection.”
David Rose, Deputy Chief Executive for The Football Supporters’ Federation who are supporters of the Bet Regret campaign, said: “Putting a bet on is a normal and enjoyable part of the match-day routine for many supporters, but it’s important that fans know where the line is between a harmless wager and problem gambling. This is why Bet Regret has resonated so strongly with supporters and we’re sure this five-a-side tournament will be an excellent addition to the campaign – good luck to all those taking part.” For more information on how to register teams visit powerleague.co.uk – entrants must be 18+
Read the press release here.
