• Wolves FC: Kick gambling ads out of football!
    We lost our son Jack to gambling-related suicide in 2017. He was just 24 years old. Jack was a bright, popular, charismatic, and confident young man with his life ahead of him but gambling took that away from him. Gambling was his only problem - he was not vulnerable in any conventional sense of the word. He was a huge football fan and no doubt the harmful relationship between gambling and his favourite sport contributed to his addiction, including times when he was trying to cut down or stop. Gambling advertising in football and elsewhere is risking the health and the lives of millions of young people. I've been a fan of Wolves all my life but I struggle to support a club that continues to promote something so harmful - something that we know that can lead to death. I welcome that this season the club has finally moved away from a shirt-front gambling sponsor, but this is pointless in isolation as there is now a gambling company on the shirt sleeve and the club has other advertising partnerships with the industry. It has to stop, alongside an end to all gambling promotions inside Molineaux and around our pitch. After Jack's death, my wife and I co-founded and now co-chair Gambling with Lives, a charity representing and supporting a community of bereaved families. All of the young people that the families have lost to gambling suicides were bright, popular and happy people like Jack, but with just one problem: addiction to gambling. This suicide risk is real and substantial: recently Public Health England estimated that there are 409 gambling related suicides every year in England alone. A YouGov study from this year shows that 2.9 million people are either already addicted or at serious risk of being so, with a further 3.3 million classified as “affected others”. These stark figures show what we already know: gambling harm is not an issue affecting just a small minority, it is severely harming hundreds of thousands and killing hundreds every year. To prevent any other family from going through what ours and so many others have, I'm urging my club Wolves to cancel all gambling partnerships, say no to any new offers, and back The Big Step campaign to end all gambling advertising in football.
    256 of 300 Signatures
    Created by Charles Ritchie
  • Newcastle Utd: Kick gambling ads out of football!
    There are 409 deaths related to gambling every year in England alone, with the North East been the highest and a YouGov study from this year shows that 2.9 million people are either already addicted or at risk of being so, with a further 3.3 million classified as “affected others”. These stark figures show what we already know: gambling harm is not an issue affecting just a small minority, it is severely harming – sometimes killing – many. To prevent any young fan from experiencing what, I went through as attempting to take my own life and so many others did, I'm urging Newcastle Utd to cancel all gambling partnerships, say no to any new offers, and back The Big Step campaign
    462 of 500 Signatures
    Created by Christopher Coyne
  • Fulham FC: Kick gambling ads out of football!
    My name is Christopher Bilmes. I am recovering from addictions, including gambling, and have been in recovery for the last 13 years. I know first hand the effect that gambling has had on my own life, on the life of my family and my friends around me. It led to my bankruptcy and divorce, and to losing everything. It started innocently enough but, in time, got completely out of hand and I simply couldn't stop. Gambling companies have plenty of other places that they are visible (including on every high street in the country), but normalising something that is so potentially damaging, and having it as a partner for our club is not something Fulham FC should countenance any more. The decision to partner with a gambling company for the 2022/23 season is hugely disappointing and wrong. We don't promote cigarettes, we don't allow alcohol within the view of the pitch - and we shouldn't allow our team shirts and our club to be covered in the livery of a gambling sponsor. There are 409 deaths related to gambling every year in England alone and a YouGov study from this year shows that 2.9 million people are either already addicted or at risk of being so, with a further 3.3 million classified as “affected others”. These stark figures show what we already know: gambling harm is not an issue affecting just a small minority, it is severely harming – sometimes killing – many. To prevent any young fan from experiencing what I and so many others did, I'm urging Fulham FC to cancel all gambling partnerships, say no to any new offers, and back The Big Step campaign.
    380 of 400 Signatures
    Created by Christopher Bilmes
  • Sheffield United FC: Kick gambling ads out of football
    There are 409 deaths related to gambling every year in England alone and a YouGov study from this year shows that 2.9 million people are either already addicted or at risk of being so, with a further 3.3 million classified as “affected others”. These stark figures show what we already know: gambling harm is not an issue affecting just a small minority, it is severely harming – sometimes killing – many. To prevent any young fan from experiencing what Jack Ritchie, a young man in the prime of his life and a keen Sheffield United supporter, and so many others did, I'm urging Sheffield United FC to cancel all gambling partnerships, say no to any new offers, and back The Big Step campaign
    140 of 200 Signatures
    Created by Dave Campbell
  • Celtic and Rangers: Kick gambling ads out of football!
    There is at least 1 death every day by suicide every day in the UK due to gambling addictions.This is 1 death to many. I myself have suffered with a gambling addiction for 30 years ,gladly i am now 4 years gambling free,but i feel i am one of the lucky ones.Too many families are losing loved ones.Its time to stop to take our game back and get rid of all gambling sponsorship.
    523 of 600 Signatures
    Created by Kev Mailey
  • Barnsley FC: KICK GAMBLING ADS OUT OF FOOTBALL
    I'm Will, and for 12 years I was addicted to gambling. My addiction started, like with so many, with football. As a kid I loved football and supported my local football club Barnsley FC. Once I hit 18 years old and placed my first football bet I was lost to an awful addiction. This led me down a dark path which ended with me contemplating suicide as the only way out. My relationships with everyone close to me suffered and I'm lucky to be able to say I'm out of the other side today and happy. I'm pleased that Barnsley FC have never had a gambling sponsor, other than the league sponsor, and would love them to join The Big Step Campaign, to end footballs relationship with gambling advertising for good. There are 409 deaths related to gambling every year in England alone and a YouGov study from this year shows that 2.9 million people are either already addicted or at risk of being so, with a further 3.3 million classified as “affected others”. These stark figures show what we already know: gambling harm is not an issue affecting just a small minority, it is severely harming – sometimes killing – many. To prevent any young fan from experiencing what I and so many others did, I'm urging Barnsley FC to say no to any gambling sponsors, and back The Big Step campaign.
    158 of 200 Signatures
    Created by Will Halstead
  • West Ham United FC: Kick gambling ads out of football!
    My name is Chris and I am in recovery from gambling addiction. I am a huge football fan and a West Ham United FC season ticket holder. I am surrounded by gambling advertising and sponsorship at every West Ham match. It was being subjected to this matchday advertising, as well as watching games on TV that led me to download my first betting app. I downloaded that app to bet on the outcome of a football match. However, within a number of weeks, I was gambling on in-play football, foreign football, horses, dogs, virtual racing, and then casino products such as slots and roulette. I was missing days at work, my relationships with friends and family became strained and my mental health was ruined. I was gambling online, in land-based casinos, bookmakers, and at Romford dogs. I had never gambled before downloading that first app at the age of 30. I did not appreciate how dangerous gambling can be. I also did not understand how the gambling industry would lure me in. After downloading the app I started to receive emails offering free bets, offering me free spins in a casino. They were cross-selling their most addictive products to me, but at the time I did not understand the dangers. The more money that I lost the more incentives I received. I was made a VIP and was given free money to gamble with. Rather than giving me free money to keep me gambling, the gambling operators should have been intervening. They didn't, and my experience is very common. Less than six years after placing my first bet I was sitting in my sister-in-law's house ready to take my own life. Fortunately, I am still alive. I am one of the lucky ones. Now in recovery, I try to help others who find themselves in the position that I was in and do all I can to prevent avoidable gambling harm. I co-founded both the All Bets Are Off podcast gambling addiction recovery podcast and a charity called Gambling Education Network. There are 409 deaths related to gambling every year in England alone and a YouGov study from this year shows that 2.9 million people are either already addicted or at risk of being so, with a further 3.3 million classified as “affected others”. These stark figures show what we already know: gambling harm is not an issue affecting just a small minority, it is severely harming – sometimes killing – many. To prevent any young fan from experiencing what I and so many others did, I'm urging West Ham United FC to cancel all gambling partnerships, say no to any new offers, and back The Big Step campaign.
    3,010 of 4,000 Signatures
    Created by Chris Gilham
  • Swansea City FC: Kick gambling ads out of football
    My name is Nick Phillips and I had over 20 years where I was addicted to gambling. Football played a prominent part in that addiction. I do not want my kids or anyone else's kids to fall fowl to this illness. For that to happen football clubs need to take more responsibility in what they advertise to their fans and as a family based club Swansea City need to be proactive in not advertising harmful addictive products. There are an estimated 409 deaths related to gambling a year and a YouGov study from this year shows that 2.9 million people are either addicted or at risk of becoming addicted, with a further 3.3 million classified as "affected others". These stark figures show that harm is not an issue affecting a small minority, but is severely harming- sometimes killing many. To prevent any young fan from experiencing what I have gone through and what many others have, I'm urging Swansea City FC to cancel all gambling partnerships, say no to any new offers, and back The Big Step campaign.
    189 of 200 Signatures
    Created by Nick Phillips
  • Birmingham City F.C: Kick gambling ads out of football!
    I Ian R suffered severe losses that spanned over a period of time gambling on football matches while watching my club play on a week to week basis. The harm it did to my mental health above all else and also my family who suffered throughout this time I can never be replaced. The constant reminders when seeing football matches with gambling ads around stadiums and also clubs who take money from gambling companies keeps me away from watching football live now. There are 409 deaths related to gambling every year in England alone and a Yougov study from this year shows that 2.9million are either already addicted or at risk of being so with a further 3.3million classified as affected others. These stark figures show that we already know gambling harm is not an issue affecting just a small minority. It is severely harming, sometimes killing-many. To prevent any young fan from experiencing what myself and so many others did, I'm urging Birmingham City F.C to cancel all gambling partnerships, say NO to any new offers and back The Big Step campaign.
    139 of 200 Signatures
    Created by Ian Richards
  • Reinstate commuter services to and from Borstal on the 155 bus
    Cuts to the 155 bus timetable mean that the earliest service arrives in Chatham too late to be of use to morning commuters and school pupils while the last service leaves for Borstal too early in the afternoon to take them home. In its current form the timetable is likely to further discourage bus use at a time when the environmental need has never been greater and the cost of living for working people is rocketing. Our local economy depends on people being able to get to and from work on public transport. These simple changes to the timetable would not restore bus frequency to previous levels but would at least allow commuters to once again rely on the 155 route to use public transport to get to and from work and school.
    716 of 800 Signatures
    Created by Alex Paterson
  • Manchester City FC: Kick gambling ads out of football!
    My cousin killed himself over gambling debts at the age of 27. He was a big football fan so was bombarded with adverts for gambling while he was trying to stop. I don't want this to happen to anyone else so I volunteer with The Big Step and Gambling with Lives, a charity set up by the bereaved families of those who have killed themselves due to a gambling addiction. The charities are working to highlight to the Government, the harm that the rise of front of shirt sponsorship is causing and the damage that seeing such advertisements will do, especially to young kids as there are already 55,000 children identified as having a gambling addiction in the UK. Front of shirt sponsorship will only make this worse. There are 409 deaths related to gambling every year in England alone and a YouGov study from this year shows that 2.9 million people are either already addicted or at risk of being so, with a further 3.3 million classified as “affected others”. These stark figures show what we already know: gambling harm is not an issue affecting just a small minority, it is severely harming – sometimes killing – many. To prevent any young fan from experiencing what my cousin and so many others did, I'm urging Manchester City FC to cancel all gambling partnerships, say no to any new offers, and back The Big Step campaign.
    302 of 400 Signatures
    Created by Debbie M
  • Liverpool FC: Kick gambling ads out of football!!
    My son Ryan was 27 when he took his own life after becoming addicted to gambling. He loved Liverpool FC, but his club and the game he worshipped let him down by constantly telling him to do the thing that would lead to his death. Weeks before Ryan died, he told a fellow gambler that he found stopping so difficult because of the advertising. With 409 deaths related to gambling every year in England alone, football must stop promoting dangerous and addictive products to millions each week – a recent study found that up to 700 gambling adverts can appear during a single televised Premier League match. A YouGov study from this year showing that 2.9 million people are either already addicted or at risk of being so, with a further 3.3 million classified as “affected others”. These stark figures show what we already know: gambling harm is not an issue affecting just a small minority, it is severely harming – sometimes killing – many. I want the club my son loved, Liverpool FC, to cancel all existing partnerships with gambling companies, to reject future partnerships, and to back The Big Step campaign to end all gambling advertising in football so no family has to go through what mine has.
    959 of 1,000 Signatures
    Created by John Myers