South Australian community sporting clubs are jumping on board a new State Government program which seeks to prevent harm from sports betting and disrupt the normalisation of gambling in sport.
More than 50 community clubs have already signed onto the Here For the Game Community Program, which is being delivered by the Alcohol and Drug Foundation and is supported by a $1 million State Government funding investment over four years.
The Here For The Game Community Program is an accreditation program for local sports clubs to tackle the growing presence of harmful sports betting and gambling in the community.
The program celebrates clubs which say 'no' to sports betting and sponsorships and educates club members and supporters about the risks of sports betting and gambling. Aiming to create safer environments for club members and supporters, it provides education on ways to identify and resist techniques used by sports betting companies to entice young people into betting.
The program is free to join for all local sporting clubs in South Australia and provides resources to help busy volunteers reduce gambling harm.
Here For The Game is an initiative of the State Government's Office For Problem Gambling and is supported by five professional sporting teams in saying no to sports betting sponsorships – Adelaide United Football Club, the Adelaide Crows, Adelaide 36ers, Adelaide Thunderbirds, and Adelaide Giants.
Clubs can register their interest in the Here For The Game Community Program by visiting hereforthegame.com.au
As put by Nat Cook
The Here For The Game Community Clubs Program is a fantastic initiative allowing grassroots sporting clubs to show their commitment to creating safe and healthy environments and sets a good example for young people, supporters and the whole community.
The State Government is delighted to have the Alcohol and Drug Foundation come on board to deliver the Here For The Game Community Program in the same style that they already deliver the highly successful Good Sports Program to raise awareness around
alcohol and other drugs.
It's a real credit to the Alcohol and Drug Foundation – and indeed to the South Australian sporting community – that there are already more than 50 community clubs signed onto this new Community Program.
There has been some really great community support for the Here For The Game campaign and fan surveys show that an overwhelming number of people agree there is too much gambling in sport today.
Some of the statistics from those surveys include 95 per cent of fans supporting their team's decision to say no to sports betting sponsorship, and 90 per cent of fans being proud their team is part of Here For The Game.
I encourage more community clubs to jump on board the Here For The Game Community Program and help us spread the word to disrupt gambling harm at the grassroots level.
As put by Dr Erin Lalor AM, CEO, Alcohol and Drug Foundation
We're using 25 years of learnings from Australia's largest community health sports program, Good Sports, and leveraging its methodology and extensive network, to deliver the Here For The Game community program.
The pilot program will educate members and supporters about the risks of gambling and encourage clubs to say 'no' to sports betting and sponsorships, so they can be positive role models and work to reduce harms at a grassroots level.
Most gambling harm is 'invisible', so it's hard to know who's experiencing it, but gambling has a ripple effect on the community – for each person who gambles at high risk levels, six other people are affected.
We also know that gambling and alcohol are related issues, and through this pilot, we'll be able to gather even more evidence about the relationship between them and identify what works to address these issues at a local level.
As put by Jordan Dodd, President, Goodwood Saints Football Club
Goodwood Saints Football Club was an early adopter of the Alcohol and Drug Foundation's Good Sports program, and seeing its benefits, decided to join Here for the Game.
Gambling in sport is pervasive and I think people have forgotten about the negative impacts it can have.
Local sporting communities should be safe places for people and by encouraging clubs to separate from gambling, Here for the Game will help.
At Goodwood, we have around 500 junior players, so it's particularly important for them to see positive sporting role models who are not involved in gambling. We want people to know that you don't have to be gambling to enjoy sport and that we're here for the game, the community and each other.
As put by Willie Jennette, Owner, Wings Basketball Academy
I decided to join the program after seeing first-hand how gambling negatively affected those close to me.
It's important that people are aware of the serious ramifications gambling can have on lives – no one is immune, and everyone is touched in some way.
Here for the Game is an important initiative which helps create this awareness by shining a light not only on the effects gambling has on families, but its impact on the broader community.
