The UK bookmaker Ladbrokes has banned a top football player from using its betting services due to his serious gambling problem. Bosses at the gambling operator sent a note to the company’s staff to warn their employees that the footballer who plays in the Scottish Premiership should no longer be served in the brand’s betting outlets.
The decision came after the international football player’s 12-month agreement which has prevented him from betting was brought to an end. The British gambling giant has initiated an internal check after a screenshot of the memo, which revealed the football player’s name, was posted online.
A source close to the situation revealed that the player in question has been suffering from a serious gambling addiction, so such an issue could not be taken lightly by one of the largest bookmakers in the country.
The player, who is deliberately left unnamed, has previously asked for assistance to deal with his compulsive gambling. Back in 2017, he joined a special exclusion scheme operated by Ladbrokes, under which his name and personal information were revealed to the company’s staff in order for him to be blocked from gambling with the operator. According to media reports, the agreement ended in July 2018, but Ladbrokes made a decision to extend the ban further due to concerns about the player’s addiction.
Problem Gambling Spreads among Professional Athletes
Ladbrokes’ bosses explained in the statement that customer safety and protection is a fundamental part of the company’s business and principles. They also revealed that an internal investigation has been launched in order to find out whether the document released is genuine and if so, to reveal how it has been obtained by the party which made it public.
The gambling company’s chiefs also pledged to take the necessary action as soon as the investigation is finalised.
The footballer in question is not the only football player who has been facing problem gambling. As Casino Guardian has previously reported, the forward of the Scottish Premiership club Hearts Kyle Lafferty has also been struggling to beat gambling addiction. Lafferty made a confession revealing his addiction in September 2017 and shared that he had spent a massive amount of money on roulette games, as well as on dog and horse races.
For some time now, reports have emerged that a large number of football players and other professional athletes have been involved in compulsive gambling, spending massive sums on various gambling services. On the other hand, gambling operators have been criticised for their sponsorship agreements with some of the largest football clubs in the Scottish Premiership and the English Premier League. Such sponsorship deals have been blamed for its potential influence on players but also for the effect they may have on the clubs’ fans, especially when it comes to under-aged individuals.
Only recently the charity organisation GambleAware warned English football squads over the prevailing number of bookies as kit sponsors, which could make gambling look normal to children and more vulnerable individuals.
- Author
Daniel Williams
