The Pakenham Warriors and the Surfcoast Chargers are set to host their "Love the Game Round' this weekend!
The Love the Game Round aims to bring together “Love the Game, Not the Odds” partner associations to raise awareness of the risks of sports betting advertising and encourage action to prevent gambling harm for young people in sport. The CBL is proud to partner with Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation for this special round.
This year’s “Love the Game” round will have the central theme of Be the coach – make a game plan to talk to your young people about the risks of sports betting.
Young men (18 to 24 years) make up one-third of sports bettors, and participation by females is rising. Teams and coaches can make a difference by disrupting the normalisation of sports betting and talking to their players about the associated risks.
Some key statistics show the harm sports betting/gambling can cause in young adults:
- Gambling can lead to an increase in financial, legal, and mental health issues.
- Of all young men who bet on sport, 70% were found to be at risk of, or already experiencing, gambling harm.
- Alcohol featured prominently in betting behaviour, with 64% of young men saying they had bet on sports while drinking.
- 1 in 5 teenage boys and 1 in 8 teenage girls – reported spending money on at least one gambling activity in a 12-month period.
- The average bet success rate among experienced bettors is 53%.
- 45% of sports betting is conducted online. Online gambling is available 24/7, it offers more convenience and privacy, and those who bet using mobile devices have higher rates of gambling problems.
Love the Game will tip-off this weekend at Pakenham and Surfcoast. So, make sure to head out and support this special round!
