William Hill and Epic Global Solutions Drive Gambling Awareness in Scottish Football

A Groundbreaking Initiative for Gambling Harm Prevention

A gambling harm prevention program, supported by William Hill through its title sponsorship of the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL), was launched across all league divisions during Safer Gambling Week 2024.

The initiative, developed in partnership with Epic Global Solutions, seeks to educate players, staff, and supporters on the risks of gambling harm and equip them with tools to make informed decisions.

The campaign features educational talks delivered by former professional footballers Dominic Matteo and Marc Williams, who share their personal experiences of how gambling negatively impacted their careers and lives.

The initiative has reached more than a third of SPFL clubs, offering educational sessions on the dangers of gambling.

Positive Reception and Measurable Impact

Neil Doncaster, SPFL Group Chief Executive, stated: “It’s great to see such a strong start to the campaign. The feedback has been positive, and while the size of the problem remains relatively small in Scottish football, we can’t afford to be complacent. We are looking forward to a fuller roll-out of the program as the season progresses.”

The program’s early results highlight its effectiveness. A survey of 226 first-team players from participating clubs revealed notable improvements in awareness and attitudes:

• Awareness of gambling risks increased from 72% to 94% after the sessions.
• 96% of players felt confident about seeking support for gambling issues if needed.
• 91% of participants were open to discussing gambling-related topics with peers.

Expanding Responsible Gambling Efforts

This initiative is part of a broader industry commitment to responsible gambling. For instance, Casino Guru and Mindway AI recently updated their Gamalyze self-assessment tool to coincide with Safer Gambling Week, offering players innovative ways to evaluate and manage their gambling behaviors.

Per Widerström, CEO of Evoke, emphasized the importance of initiatives like this, noting: “This initiative, which has already made great progress, will help ensure that local fans, players, and colleagues of football clubs know how to identify signs of problem gambling and minimize the risks of gambling-related harm.”