Bolton Wanderers have become one of the first English clubs to sever all ties with the gambling industry.
The League One club have announced that they will no longer provide provisions for betting inside their University of Bolton Stadium.
Gambling's grip on football is under more intense scrutiny than ever, with the Daily Mail reporting that betting firm logos could be banned from football jerseys in the near future.
Nine Premier League teams currently have gambling company logos on the front of their shirts, with a further six in the Championship.
A British government spokesperson says "no decisions have been taken", but a review into the matter is underway.
Bolton are no strangers to betting sponsorship, with 188Bet and Betfred previously adorning their shirts. But no more.
“Problem gambling ruins lives and we’ve taken this stance to show our support for those who are suffering from a betting addiction," said Bolton chair Sharon Brittan.
“Latest research shows that there are between 340,000 and 1.4 million adult gambling addicts in the UK and over 60,000 young people aged between 11 and 16 are addicted.
“We as an industry must do more and through our work with Bolton Wanderers in the Community, Bolton Wanderers Football Club will support outreach programmes for those who experience gambling problems.”
Bolton CEO, Neil Hart, added: “We recognise that some people do want to bet and also that the league has a commercial partnership with a gambling company in place - and we are respectful of this.
"However, we will not take part in any activity to promote gambling outside the existing EFL contractual requirements.
“This means that we will not provide match day betting kiosks or enter into any new agreements with gambling companies.
“In the spirit of transparency the club does operate a club lottery which allows supporters to take part on a match-by-match or monthly basis with all this fundraising income supporting club-related good causes and supporter engagement projects. We will continue to provide this support for our local community and our amazing supporters.
“As a club which is at the heart of our community, we want to support those who are suffering as a consequence of gambling addiction.”
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