Drogheda United becomes first top-flight club to back The Big Step campaign

League of Ireland Premier Division club Drogheda United has backed The Big Step’s campaign to end all gambling advertising and sponsorship in football

League of Emerald Isle Premier Division order Drogheda United has backed The Big Step’s effort to end all gambling advertising and sponsorship in football.

It is the first topping bludgeon to backwards the campaign. In the announcement, The Big Step pointed to recent statistics that highlighting the come forth of job gambling inwards Ireland, where people lost €1.36bn ($1.54bn) gambling inwards 2020. It is the fourth-most out of any country inward the EU.

“Drogheda United is proud to live the 1st League of Emerald Isle social club to get together The Big Step,” said Drogheda United Chairman Conor Hoey. “Family and community of interests are at the pump of Drogheda United and, as a club, we try to maintain values that improve the lives of our supporters where we can.

“Unfortunately, many of us mired inwards the bludgeon hold seen the harm that play dependance tin manage to individuals and their families. Increasingly we make seen how synonymous gambling and football game hold become, in particular in the UK, with a continual flow rate of endorsements by former players and celebrities to normalise this relationship.”

The gild also called on the League of Republic of Ireland and the clubs within it to travel along its lede and forbiddance gambling sponsorship, a sentiment shared by The Big Step.

James Grimes, Founder of The Big Step, commented: “We are delighted that Drogheda United feature become the number one top-flight social club to endorse our campaign. Tobacco advertising was removed from athletics because of the risk to public wellness – it’s at present time for the same to befall with gambling, which is harming millions inward both the UK and Ireland.

“We are especially thankful to the chairman, who has been consistently vocal and principled on this government issue – putting young fans and those of us harmed by play forward of profit.

“We strongly endorse his ring for the League of Ireland and its clubs to go out from all play sponsorship and advertising.”