The normalisation of gambling in football | Letter

The World Cup revealed the extent to which the gambling industry has become embedded in professional sport, writes the bishop of St Albans, Alan Smith

It is right for Simon Stevens of NHS England to highlight the worrying connection between gambling and sports (Report, 6 September). The World Cup revealed the extent to which the gambling industry has become embedded in professional sport. Viewers were presented with more than 60 live-odds betting adverts during the contest. These encouraged people to bet, including the 430,000 problem gamblers in the country.

It’s not just grumpy parents who have had enough of these adverts. This year young people who watched live football complained of seeing too many, with the average 14- to 18-year-old watching 3.8 gambling adverts every day. No wonder many people are worried that this is creating a timebomb as young people are being conditioned to think betting is an integral part of football.

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