Cricket Victoria renews partnership with the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation

The partnership forms part of Cricket Victoria’s commitment to reducing kids’ exposure to sports betting promotions through key activities like the Foundation’s ‘Join the Club’ initiative.

The Foundation’s campaign features elite and community level players and administrators, parents, kids, umpires and coaches from a range of codes that have united in saying no to sports betting sponsorships.

Cricket Victoria CEO Nick Cummins said extending its partnership with the Foundation would have important long-term benefits.

‘Community sport and clubs are at the heart of what we do in Victorian cricket. Through this partnership, we’re limiting the amount of gambling advertising seen by young people in our sport, and equipping them to recognise, and manage, gambling risks,’ Mr Cummins said.

The renewed partnership includes Cricket Victoria, Melbourne Stars, Melbourne Renegades and local cricket clubs across the state, and will continue to focus on community engagement and participation by community clubs in the Love the Game program.

‘Partnerships with organisations like Cricket Victoria are critical because they give young people an opportunity to enjoy sport without associating it with gambling,’ Victorian Responsible Foundation CEO Shane Lucas said.

‘The first generation of kids to grow up with gambling advertising is the largest group of sports bettors in Victoria, with almost one in three bets placed by young men aged 18–24 years and participation by young women rising.

‘Love the Game aims to counter the normalisation of gambling on sport and help young people to understand the risks and potential negative effects before they’re legally allowed to bet.’

The Foundation will also continue to be an associate partner of the Cricket Victoria Youth Premier League (YPL), offering education sessions to participating teams throughout the YPL this season.

For more information about how your club can join the Love the Game program, visit the lovethegame.vic.gov.au/join

Anyone concerned about their own or someone else’s gambling can contact Gambler’s Help 24/7 for free, confidential advice, support and referral on 1800 858 858.

The Victorian Government has committed $153 million over four years to the Foundation, a statutory authority set up specifically to address the challenge of gambling harm in the community.