Premier League Gambling Addicts Bet to Fight Boredom

Gambling addiction in football is big

• Influences player performance
• Easier to hide on mobile
• Boredom triggers gambling addiction

A study found that in the age of mobile casinos in the UK, more and more players bet, even on the way to the game, and more and more Premier League gambling addicts tend to underperform after big gambling losses.

Gambling is big in English football. And the number of Premier League gambling addicts is higher and higher in the age of mobile casinos. Professional footballers want to fight boredom when they decide to gamble.

Playing cards on team bus, obviously for money, was always a common practice amongst pro footballers. But now it’s different. A study by Graeme Law (University of Chester) found that Premier League gambling addicts regularly display weaker performances after big losses, UK gambling news report.

Gambling addiction is a bigger threat towards pro footballers than ever

Gambling amongst professional football players has been big for long. So, it’s obvious that Premier League gambling addicts must be overrepresented amongst footballers than amongst average people. A 2014 survey already found that this is true with an almost three times higher number of gambling addicts amongst pro footballers than in the average male population.

Now Mr. Law’s PhD study on the matter revealed further problems Premier League gambling addicts have to face after interviewing 34 current and former professional football players. With casino games available on smartphones, they can bet anytime, anywhere, even when sitting on the team bus, on the way to the game. And after big losses, they are concerned and this makes them underperform sometimes. It is also hard for their teammates to tolerate these kinds of problems, too.

Boredom is the main enemy of Premier League gambling addicts

Professional football players spend a lot of time together. Even outside matches and training. On the way to the game, back home from the game, in training camps, etc. They are kind of random personalities, so they don’t necessary enjoy each other’s company so much that they can entertain each other all the time. And since their activities are strictly regulated, boredom hits them many times.

Eiður Guðjohnsen gambled too much (Photo: Talksport)

Card game and real-money wagering for raising adrenalin levels came naturally for football players. It has been practically everywhere amongst professional football players. Some of them might use gambling as a regular recreational activity, and that is alright as well. However, those who are obsessed with competition and those who are addictive personalities, easily can become Premier League gambling addicts.

Smartphones makes it easier for Premier League gambling addicts to hide their obsession

Premier League gambling addicts’ problems were revealed easier before mobile betting existed. In the mobile gambling era however, players can hide their addiction from their partners more effectively. An international player, who is one of the former Premier League gambling addicts Law interviewed, explained that he lost a lot of money after he got into online betting. He only stopped after his wife called for professional help for him.

He said, “I liked to bet on the bus, but it got worse when I could bet online. I was able to do it all the time with no one knowing. I lost a lot. My wife found out after a year or so and she got me help and it’s under control now. It’s the culture to gamble in football and it can get dangerous when it grips you.”

Wager with the help of responsible gambling features!

Gambling addiction isn’t picky at all. Even players from the biggest level of football can fall to its trap like Liverpool’s Champions League winning midfielder German Dietmar Hamann or Chelsea’s two-time Premier League winning Icelandic forward, Eidur Gudjohnsen.

To avoid developing a gambling addiction, use all the tools built in modern online casinos that help you to keep your wagering under control. Gambling is a great recreational activity, but you can’t do this in an uncontrolled way, because it might destroy you, like any other addiction.

If you feel that gambling is more important for you than anything else, if you lose big and bet more and more, if you struggle to finance your gambling habits, if you are in debt because of your gambling habits, don’t hesitate to seek out for help! Gamble responsibly and avoid gambling addiction!