Cambridge United Community Trust has announced the launch of a brand new responsible gambling campaign in partnership with GamCare and the Young Gamers and Gamblers Education Trust.
Together, the Cambridge United Community Trust, the charitable arm of the Cambridge United Football Club, and the two gambling charities have launched their new Kick The Habit campaign which will focus on battling gambling harm by raising awareness of gambling addiction and promoting prevention.
According to reports, Cambridge United Community Trust will use its social media channels to promote informative articles, interviews, and podcasts that raise awareness of the dangers of gambling addiction.
Meanwhile, the Young Gamers and Gamblers Education Trust (YGAM) will promote the prevention of gambling addiction by hosting sessions in schools to educate young people on gambling harm and related issues such as video game loot boxes which have long been compared to gambling.
GamCare will provide non-judgmental support through the National Gambling Helpline, which is available 24-hours-a-day via phone or live chat.
Cambridge United footballer and Lead Ambassador to the campaign John Taylor said in a statement to GamCare: “Admitting you have a problem is the hardest part. The next steps to recovery are you talking to someone and having people there to listen to you.”
Community Trust Wellbeing Manager Vicky Neal added: “We want to be able to support individuals that are affected by gambling, either themselves or someone they are close to, by signposting them to the support GamCare offers, as well as educate our younger generations on the topic of gambling with support from YGAM.”
On the topic of safer gambling, Entain, the owner of Ladbrokes and Coral, has announced an extension to its safer gambling efforts to include video gaming and eSports as part of the company’s commitment to raising the quality of entertainment and the protection of customers around the world.
To achieve this, Entain has struck new partnerships with the Counter-Strike Professional Players Association, therapy group Kindbridge, and mental health charity Rise Above The Disorder.
The various organisations will assist Entain by providing professional support services and education to players who are at risk. The three organisations will also work internally with Entain and the Entain Foundation, the operator’s non-profit charity which works to promote responsible gambling.
Meanwhile, Entain has deepened its partnership with EPIC Risk Management, a consultancy that specialises in the prevention of gambling-related harm. The two organisations work together in the United States and internationally, and EPIC Risk Management will now also provide support for video games and eSports.
Martin Lycka, the Senior Vice President for American Regulatory Affairs and Responsible Gambling at Entain and the Trustee of the Entain Foundation US, said in a statement to Casino Beats: “We are committed to supporting initiatives that encourage responsible gambling and gaming in every way we can.
“The vast majority of people who enjoy playing for fun have no problems whatsoever, and we want to leverage our capabilities to offer them additional experiences whilst keeping all our customers safe.”
Lycka added: “These new partnerships are initial steps in this and other new directions as we both expand our offer to customers and the protections we put in place to protect the very small number who may be at risk.”
In its announcement, Entain also confirmed that the expansion of its safer gambling efforts support the operator’s planned expansion into video gaming and eSports, although nothing else was shared about the company’s future plans.
The above news comes as Entain has extended the acceptance period for its acquisition of Baltic-based online gambling operator Enlabs AB. Back in January, Entain announced a cash offer of SEK 40 (Around £3.50) per share.
An acceptance period was announced shortly after, beginning on January 21st and expiring around February 18th. In an announcement this week, however, Entain announced it has extended the acceptance period for the offer to March 18th, 2021, and believes that settlement will commence around March 30th should Enlabs AB accept the offer.
In a joint statement obtained by SBC News, Entain’s board said: “The offer and the acquisition of Enlabs is conditional on, among other things, the receipt of all necessary regulatory, governmental or similar clearances, approvals and decisions, including from competition authorities and gaming authorities, in each case on terms which, in Entain’s opinion, are acceptable.”
Following Entain’s announcement of a cash offer, Enlabs’ independent bid committee recommended that Enlabs’ shareholders accept the offer, with around 42.2% of all shares voting to do so.
However, Enlabs investor and Texas hedge fund Alta Fox rejected the offer, claiming that it “undervalued the company”. Alta Fox then demanded that Entain revise its offer and proposed a counter-offer of SEK 55 (Around £4.80) per share.
On a similar note, Entain’s offer for Enlabs came in the same month American casino owner MGM Resorts International announced a takeover offer for Entain. MRM Resorts, which is currently in partnership with Entain for its online BetMGM sports betting brand, proposed an £8.1 billion cash offer for Entain.
Entain rejected the offer, claiming that MGM Resorts International’s takeover offer “significantly undervalued” the group. Entain also demanded more information on the company’s decision.
Entain’s rejection led MGM Resorts to pull its takeover offer in late January, with the Vegas casino operator stating that it has no intention to submit a revised offer and will not be making a firm offer for the British sports betting operator.
