Today’s Gambling Review thread of random things in my head is about sponsorship. Without seeing the submissions to the Review the big corps are making individually & collectively it’s hard to know what they’re aiming for on this front.But should be focused on the good they can do

I said yesterday that the industry has forgotten how to defend itself, here’s one case where they must not only defend themselves, but get on the front foot and scream about the negative effects significant changes to advertising/sponsorship rules could have in some areas

Rugby League for example. Great sport, loved by many. But having tough times financially and bookmakers have been great supporters over the years, Betfred especially putting in a lot of money of late. That money does huge amounts of good for that sport.

If it becomes harder or impossible to invest at that level the knock on effects on that sport (at professional and trickling down to grassroots level) could be seismic. They cannot be frightening to illustrate how much good their money can do in the right areas.

Darts & snooker are two more which rely on plenty of bookmaker sponsorship. Barry Hearn is a friend of the industry, no doubt he would (maybe always has?) make a submission outlining the effects on those sports changes to these rules would have. Fewer events? Reduced prize money?

Also, lower league and non-league football. They’re going to be on their knees for the foreseeable. National League North/South just voted to scrap another season. So many clubs that are the lifeblood of many small towns in trouble. Needing more help now, not less.

To prevent bookmakers from helping those clubs in trouble would be to toss away some of these clubs’ chances of survival. The industry needs to shout this & shout it again until the decision makers are fully aware of it. To get their point through they’ll need to make compromises

Sponsorship of Premier League (and Championship?) clubs who are already awash with cash? Maybe be proactive and promise to stop that immediately in return for continuing to be able to do good for the game at lower levels? Take a chance on trying to look like the good guys.

Another thing that I think should be stopped is brand ambassadors in horse racing. This just doesn’t fit with the modern landscape and the industry failing to see/admit this in recent years is proof that it still hasn’t really woken up to the required change.

Nicky Henderson’s Unibet blog, the Tizzard yard plastered with Coral logos, Davy Russell wearing a Star Sports jumper on Luck On Sunday, you had your run chaps but it’s time to stop. These are already wealthy people taking good sums from firms for the good of whom? Not the public

I don’t for one minute think Nicky Henderson runs to tell Unibet before anyone else when he has a stable star injured by the way. Wouldn’t be on his top ten things to do first. But you only have to look at Twitter when it happens to see what the public perception is.

And it’s a perception war they’re fighting as much as anything. So don’t do this half-arsed. Be proactive, admit the things which need to die out & prob should have 5yrs ago, but shout as loud & proud as you can about the good you can do in so many areas that’ll make a difference