Gambling Related Harm in Sport – More Than Just a Game

Safeguarding Adults, Children and Families

This blog post was also posted on the website of The Ann Craft Trust.

Gambling advertising is everywhere. On TV and radio, across social media, in your favourite smartphone game, in magazines and newspapers, on the side of your local bus, even in the middle of a soap opera. There’s no escaping it. But is it really the ‘fun’ it’s made out to be, or is there a more worrying side?

Gambling in Sport

Put simply, advertising drives huge profits for gambling companies. In 2025, the industry made £2.48 billion from sports betting in the UK. Around 9% of the UK population takes part, betting on everything from mainstream sports to muggle quidditch, and more recently curling.

Thanks to 24/7 sports betting, people can also now wager on global events at any time, from Brazilian volleyball and South Korean baseball to US college sports.

What impact are the constant adverts having at grass roots level? For the most part, individuals can stick to gambling as part of their social time and to a budget. For others, the prevalence poses a significant increase in the risk of gambling harms.

Bristol University’s recent study of the 14 million adult grass roots football players puts them five times more likely to experience gambling harms than other adults. The study highlighted that 1 in 6 adult men in grass roots football are already experiencing them. For these individuals escaping from the constant stream of adverts is almost impossible.

Ara – Recovery for All

Huge sports fans Kai and Vicky work for the charity Ara in supporting anyone across the South West and Wales impacted by gambling harms. They raise awareness of gambling harms in a variety of settings and recently presented to the Ann Craft Trust.

I grew up playing a wide range of sports, rugby, badminton, football, running, golf, cricket and more. Sport was a huge part of my identity.

In my early teens, I discovered gambling. It wasn’t as accessible as it is today, but over time it became a major part of my life. Bit by bit, it eroded the things I loved, including my passion for sport, and affected almost 30 years of my life.

Gambling became a coping mechanism for every problem, damaging friendships, teammates, colleagues, and relationships.

Thankfully, I found amazing, timely support. I was able to begin addressing the harm it had caused and immediately feel the difference. I’m now in my seventh year of recovery, enjoying both playing and watching sport again. I am passionate about supporting adults who experience gambling harms.

Kai McConkey – Community Engagement Lead (South West England), Ara Recovery For All

Safeguarding the Next Generation of Adults

I am a huge sports enthusiast and come from a sporting background having played, coached and umpired a variety of sports at grass roots level.

I was a PE teacher for 30 years and witnessed how advertising campaigns can lure our next generation of adults into frequent gambling.

Young people need to understand gambling harms, make safer choices, and stay safe while gaming.

Ara’s youth project, Ahead of the Game, runs free workshops for 11–24-year-olds, parents, carers, and professionals. We’ve worked with both professional and grass roots organisations and aim to partner with more. Listening to young people’s experiences highlights the importance of the preventative education we offer.

Vicky Castle – Education and Prevention Lead (South West England), Ara Recovery For All

How can Ara support your organisation?

Kai, Vicky and colleagues play a vital role in safeguarding adults, children and families around gambling harms. They would be keen to link with any sporting organisations, particularly across South West and Wales.

They can provide prevention education sessions for Welfare Officers, Coaching Teams, Parents / Carers and Young People. They can support events and awareness days in person or through literature to distribute. Vitally, they can signpost for support when it becomes more than just a game.

Get Further Support Today

Explore our support resources, request a call, or find out about our training options across our site.

You can also visit Ahead of the Game, our youth programme empowering young people.

For more information, to request a call, or to book a free workshop, contact Kai at KaiMcConkey@recovery4all.co.uk or Vicky at VickyCastle@recovery4all.co.uk.