So it has been reported, whether their fans object and they drop the idea we will have to wait and see. It is only arm sponsorship.
Still sponsorship though - not as if utd need the money either or the app needs any more publicity. I'm not a fan of a lot of the sponsors particularly the betting ones and I wish we hadn't taken one on. So many stories of people getting into serious financial difficulties with betting it's exploitative imo and shouldn't be allowed. I know FIFA steps in for what's allowed on kits for games in Europe, should be the same domestically.
Gambling is bad. I've suffered from it myself although i think i've got a good control of it right now (but i've fallen into that trap a few times). Honestly, i dont think the advertising on the shirts has even made me want me to gamble. The bad ones are the real time odds that they have on the adverts during the break which is the bigger evil. If someone is going to gamble, i wouldn't attribute any of that to the sponsorship on the shirt.
There's an obvious reply there but I will restrain myself as it must be difficult to kick that habit (wanted to insert odds here but again I kept it in), My father in law was a bookie and has told me stories of people losing everything.
No, it's okay write what you want, it doesn't bother me. I suffer from an addictive personality (i reckon its being brought up without having any discipline in terms of organised routine) so whenever i get into anything, whether that be watching tv, marathonning through a computer game etc i will do it to an extreme. No one to blame but myself and i know i'm an idiot for doing it (where i think i'm so smart that i start going over limits, chasing etc etc). It's odd but i used to be fairly judgemental about other people who can't stop taking drugs or drink too much etc but actually i can understand that it must be hard since i've suffered from an addiction myself. I've not lost everything though or even close to that but the amount of money i've lost has been stupid. It's odd because i've never really cared too much about how much money i've earnt or accumulate (i'd happily sit at home for the next 5 years and fritter my money away rather than earn more except now i have a wife so i have to earn money for her and our family in the future) but when i start gambling i do want to chase and earn that money back. It's odd though, my bro suffers from it and both of us saw my dad lose everything to it, including his marriage, his dignity and he was in the slammer because of it. I would say the best thing is to just ban it from your kids and not teach them about it anyway
There are obviously some people who can have a bit of a flutter and know when to stop, but for some it's a deadly dangerous game. I'd probably stop short of recommending a ban, but I think the open way it's advertised is irresponsible. Plus, Winstone's ott cockerney accent does my head in. Anyway, I'm glad you've got it under control, mate. Keep it that way.
My Grandad drank himself to death and was also a big gambler but had the money to avoid losing everything other than his life. It can take hold of you if you have that kind of personality.
Gambling obviously needs to be done responsibility, but some people have always had a problem with that. They go too far here and make it completely illegal in my state, but back in the 80's and 90's there was a loophole that made video poker machines legal. A really good friend of mine was a daughter to someone addicted to video poker. They were by no means rich, but he would lose hundreds of dollars to those things every month. For a working class family in those days that was a lot of money. He probably gambled away the equivalent of a mortgage.
I wouldn't either. However, these betting firms are doing it for a reason and that must be to draw attention to themselves and to try and get more customers otherwise why are they doing it? More customers equals more potential problem gamblers. I think the clubs need to show more integrity - dare I say - do what Barcelona did and advertise a charity instead. Left sleeves for charities would be immense.
Betting firms are using shirt advertising to try and increase their market share amongst those who gamble. It's the 'free bet' marketing etc that encourages new punters to get on board. The invention of the smart phone has transformed the gambling industry beyond all recognition. You used to have to make a physical effort to place a bet i.e. leave the house and go to the bookies. Most didn't bother, it was the preserve of a relatively small percentage of the population aside from the National or maybe the Cup Final. Nowadays people are betting on badger racing in Tonga at 3 am on their phones.....it's become a complete pandemic, it's literally everywhere, from online sports betting, to bingo, to casino apps, to online fruit machines etc etc. It's absolutely horrendous and I worry about the younger generation who are growing up with **** everywhere, as it's virtually unavoidable.
Sorry to hear that mate. Well done on keeping it in check. I always say that in families we seem to have a very strong pull towards becoming the very thing we hate. In my experience, children of alcoholics either follow the same pattern or don't drink at all as adults for fear it's genetic.
Whatever the reason for shirt betting sponsors the clubs are still at fault for saying this is a worthwhile/worthy slogan for us to display, when in my view, it's morally wrong given the current gambling climate we live in as you've very eloquently pointed out.
I'd like to see the entire industry brought to book (no pun intended ) especially given that most of them are operating out of offshore tax havens ffs. 888 have just received a record fine and I hope that's the start of a wake up call for the industry, who should be flagging and restricting customers who they can see have got an obvious problem. A guy I know lost his house, marriage and every penny he'd worked for the other year playing online slots - he went through £365k in about 12 months and the company who he spent it with never challenged him on this level of spend once. All that said, I don't think it's the place of football clubs to be taking the lead on what should be a Govt issue. Clubs have betting company ads on their shirts, pitch boards, programmes, electronic displays etc etc, which is simply mirroring what's on TV, radio and the press. This isn't a football issue, it's a society issue.
Have never gambled, ever, and never will I think it's disgusting how a lot of betting companies now also offer a sweetener when new customers join of say £20 in the pot to get that person going after they set up the online account, totally reckless I'm sure a lot of people bet responsibly and just have a bit of fun with it, but as well as those there are plenty who are vulnerable/gullible/susceptible to the point where it becomes a compulsion