More than 50 community club have already joined a state government program seeking to prevent harm from sports betting and disrupt the normalisation of gambling in sport.
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 free initiative is open to all local sports clubs across the state and provides easy-to-use resources to help volunteers reduce gambling harm and create a safer club environment.
Here for the Game, an initiative of the Office for Problem Gambling, is being supported by $1 million in State Government funding over four years.
It is backed by five professional sports teams – Adelaide United Football Club, the Adelaide Crows, Adelaide 36ers, Adelaide Thunderbirds and Adelaide Giants.
It is being delivered by the Alcohol and Drug Foundation, which has been successfully delivering the Good Sports Program to raise awareness around alcohol and other drugs for more than 25 years.
Alcohol and Drug Foundation CEO Dr Erin Lalor AM said learnings from delivering Good Sports – the nation’s largest community health sports program – would be used to roll out the Here for the Game Community Program.
“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,” she said.
“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.”
Goodwood Saints Football Club President Jordan Dodd (pictured right) said her club, which had about 500 junior players, had agreed to join Here for the Game following the success of the Good Sports Program.
“Local sporting communities should be safe places for people and by encouraging clubs to separate from gambling, Here for the Game will help,” she said.
“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.”
Clubs wanting to register for the program should visit Here for the Game.