The Eastern Football League is proud to participate in the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation’s annual Love the Game round of footy this weekend, along with all 10 Victorian elite AFL clubs, 23 leagues and commissions, and community clubs around the state.
United by a passion for the game, the aim of the round is to remind fans and players alike that sport and betting don’t have to go together, despite the significant amount of advertising that is now taken as a normal part of the sporting landscape.
During this year’s round, parents and other influential adults are being encouraged to talk to the kids in their life about the the risks and potential harms associated with sports betting so that they can develop a more balanced, realistic understanding of how gambling works.
Parents, teachers, coaches and others should be concerned by research that shows 75 per cent of teenagers think gambling is a normal part of sport.
Footy has so much to offer, from obvious benefits like physical fitness, skills development and the fun of playing, to more sophisticated outcomes, such as an appreciation of contributing to something that is bigger than the individual, learning to be a gracious winner and loser, and understanding strategy.
The Love the Game round provides a terrific opportunity for us to share and celebrate with our kids these and all the other things we enjoy about sport, which have nothing to do with gambling.
The Foundation’s acting CEO, Craig Swift, said sports betting advertising could create the misconception that gambling and sport go hand-in-hand, so it was promising to have so many elite and community football clubs on board with the round and committed to preserving the essence of the game.
“It’s easy to overlook the fact that children born in this millennium have not experienced sport without betting,” Mr Swift said, “which makes it even more important that we equip them to make informed choices about gambling as adults, to avoid gambling harm or, if harm does occur, to recognise it and seek support.
“Being part of a footy team is as much about social connectedness and having a sense of community wellbeing, as it is about competition. That’s why we love the game, not the odds.”
For more information, visit lovethegame.vic.gov.au or share your thoughts on social media using #LoveTheGame.
