Better Change (Gibraltar) Limited has agreed to a partnership around safer gambling with Southampton Football Club. The season-long agreement kicks off at the start of Safer Gambling Week at Southampton’s home fixture against West Ham Utd in the English Premier League on October 16.
This initial match day will see a visible presence from the Better Change team who will be talking to fans and staff about their relationship with gambling. They will be offering both face to face and virtual therapy sessions for fans who might want to discuss the matter privately, as well as signposting to other organisations and help which is available if anyone feels they need it.
The relationship will continue the development of the safer gambling resources on the Southampton website as well as offering further virtual help sessions for all fans throughout the season.
2023 will see Better Change continue to work with the club in the form of outreach with Saints in the community. This is a pioneering project for both Better Change and Southampton FC, dispelling the myth that collaboration within the safer gambling space is not solely between operators and service providers.
David Richardson, strategic partnership manager at Better Change, said: “It is clear that Southampton FC want to do something really powerful to keep their fans safe from gambling harm. So, we’re incredibly proud to be launching this unique partnership in conjunction with Safer Gambling Week. We know just how important safer gambling is and it’s more important than ever that transparent support is offered for the benefit of fans, players and operators. The fact we are actively offering and providing help and support to Southampton fans on the initial match day and beyond is truly unique, it shows the fans that the club is also there to support them. We see this as the start of a long and exciting relationship with the club.”
Sarah Batters, partnerships and marketing director at Southampton Football Club, added: “We are pleased to be embarking on this project with Better Change. We recognise that betting can form a fun and important part of a fan’s experience, and so the club takes its responsibility to promote safe betting extremely seriously. It is important that we are proactive in exploring new opportunities to implement our commitment to this cause sustainably and transparently. which is why we are proud to be working with the team at Better Change on this upcoming matchday programme and to continue to throughout the season.”
