RGA: Player Betting Education Program Successful

First year of operation sees excellent success The Remote Gambling Association (RGA) issued a statement this week informing the public that the Player Betting Education Programme managed by the Professional Players Federation (PPF) has seen excellent success in its first year of operation. This program was co-funded by the RGA and three of its members, Ladbrokes, Betfair and Bet365, and in the first year of its operation, over 2400 players received certain betting-related education covering the area of English and Scottish Football, cricket and Premiership rugby union. The program's goal for the second year is to achieve the number of 5 500 players and athletes, so the RGA have entered negotiations with EGBA and EU Athletes on good practice exchange and educational program merging options. "The RGA and its partners are extremely pleased with the programme's inaugural year. Given that this has included the design and development of the programme, that 2,400 players have already been involved shows just how effective the players associations have been in communicating the important integrity messages regarding betting on sport," stated Clive Hawkswood, chief executive of the RGA. In a comment on this achievement, Brendon Batson MBE, Chairman of the PPF, stated: "This partnership is an essential part of our efforts to educate and protect players on sporting integrity issues. There has been a lot of support for the programme from the players. Initially we focused on football, rugby and cricket, with tutor training and player seminars as part of the pilot programmes. We will expand and develop the programme in 2011 with a number of exciting developments coming on stream, such as a web-based interactive education programme, which will allow us to reach even more professional athletes in the UK."