Chicago Fire FC wants to tackle problem gambling at the grassroots level.
The MLS team today announced a partnership with EPIC Risk Management and the Entain Foundation US to address and prevent problem gambling in its organization. It’s the first U.S. soccer club to host such sessions.
Brian Roberts, director of Performance Advisory and Support Services (PASS) for the Chicago Fire, acknowledged that young athletes can be susceptible to problem gaming and gambling.
“The real-life stories that EPIC Risk Management use in their educational sessions brings focus to gambling in a way that will have a true impact and will provide our Academy players with the understanding needed to make informed decisions,” Roberts said in a statement.
Epic Risk Management, featuring a staff the includes reformed gamblers, will host sessions with the five youth teams in Chicago Fire’s Academy, plus the pro team that competes in MLS. With offices in New York City and London, the company raises awareness of issues related to problem gambling and works with clients to craft solutions.
EPIC Risk Management and the Entain Foundation US have previously collaborated with the National Football League Players Association’s Professional Athletes Foundation and colleges across the U.S. to address problem gambling. Through the Division on Addiction at Cambridge Health Alliance, a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital, the companies have fostered research about the relationship between elite athletes and problematic gambling behavior.
“This new partnership among Chicago Fire FC, EPIC Risk Management, and the Entain Foundation US is another important milestone in promoting player protection and responsible gambling, a top priority of our foundation,” said Martin Lycka, Entain PLC’s Senior Vice President for American Regulatory Affairs and Responsible Gambling, and trustee of the Entain Foundation US.
Based in the United Kingdom, Entain PLC is the 50-50 joint venture partner with MGM Resorts International in Roar Digital, the New Jersey company that operates the BetMGM retail sportsbooks and the BetMGM sports betting app.
Sessions will be tailored for various age groups across Chicago Fire FC’s teams, and are scheduled to start in May and run throughout 2021. Because of COVID-19 concerns, sessions will take place via videoconferences until it’s deemed safe to hold live meetings.
“It is essential that professional sports teams and leagues recognize a collective responsibility to educate their players, staff, and their fan base, and we are delighted Chicago Fire have proactively embraced the importance of integrating this market-leading education into their existing programs,” said John Millington, Vice President of US Operations at EPIC Risk Management “I hope many more teams will follow their lead.”
