We support Safer Gambling Week

The club is working alongside Better Change for a second year, to provide a pop-up hub for you on a matchday, after 1,000 fans engaged with the team from Better Change during a similar initiative last season.

Better Change will be on-site at St Mary’s and will be ready to chat with fans about Safer Gambling before the match against Cardiff on Saturday 2nd December. Post-game support will also be available, with the club supporting the delivery of online sessions with a Better Change gambling therapist for anyone needing additional support.

To promote responsible gambling practices and provide helpful advice and guidance, we’re also sharing the insights from our Head of Performance Psychology, Malcolm Frame, through video which will be shared on club channels during Safer Gambling Week 2023 (13th – 19th November).

Our Chief Commercial Officer, Charlie Boss, said, "Promoting safer gambling is our responsibility as a club, and part of our commitment to protect fans and the community. We’re really grateful to our partners and organisations like Better Change, who are helping to champion a safer future for our fans and the gambling industry, with responsible play at its heart.”

We have a track record of supporting Safer Gambling Week, and in collaboration with our club partner Sportsbet.io, we recently hosted participants from Saints Foundation's mental health support programme, Saints by Your Side, for a Safer Gambling Workshop with Better Change. Sportsbet.io kindly donated their hospitality box to host the workshop before the match against Rotherham on 7th October and the participants were invited to stay and enjoy the match afterwards.

David Richardson, Head of Strategic Partnerships at Better Change, said, “Working with Saints for over a year now has been a pleasure, they’re a club that proactively make an impact with their Halo Effect forming the platform for their socially responsible activities.

We play a part in this and support the club and the community it serves by educating about gambling and opening 2-way dialogue on what’s often perceived as a taboo subject. By breaking down the stigma we hope to signpost people who need any further support in the right direction, as well as talking to fans about gambling and highlighting how this can be done safely from a positive play aspect.”

We also continue to promote the use of RecoverMe’s mobile app, which offers you sessions on mindfulness in association with cognitive behavioural therapy and other tools to make sure gambling takes place safely and responsibly. Their app can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play and Saints Fans can access this for free using code: RECOVERME100.

Our work in this area is part of our social responsibility pledge within The Halo Effect, which is committed to making sure a sustainable future for the club, our fans, and our community. Through various initiatives, we want to make sure the city and the surrounding region can thrive as a place to work, live, and prosper individually and collectively.

Find out more about our safer betting initiatives, here.