EPIC and Entain Foundation team up with MLS

EPIC Risk Management and Entain Foundation US continue to strengthen their ties and to work to actively promote a safer, more responsible, and grander vision of sustainable gambling in the industry in the United States and beyond. The two organizations have teamed up with a third, the Major League Soccer Players Association (MLSPA) to help with gambling awareness education and advisory resources.

This comes at a time when the NFL has suspended several players and the NCAA has announced changes to its guidelines over student-athletes who are found in breaches of the organization’s gambling policies. EPIC and Entain Foundation will work together to create customized gambling harm education and awareness programs, offering advisory resources as part of a three-year program, an official press release detailed.

Commenting on this opportunity, EPIC Risk Management Director of Sports Partnerships Ben McGregor said that his company was excited about the chance to work with the MLSPA and its members and deliver educational campaigns on a national level.

"The players, staff and MLS, in general, have a global reach and will therefore be subject to considerable sports wagering attention around the world," McGregor said. MLSPA COO Dan Jones was similarly excited to take a crack at this opportunity, arguing that the two organizations would significantly boost MLSPA’s own ability to ensure that players are aware of the risks entailed by the mass legalization of sports gambling.

Martin Lycka, an Entain Foundation US Trustee, was also keen to see this partnership succeed. He noted that as sports gambling is indeed expanding rapidly, it’s important for players to be better informed about the potential pitfalls. This is visible in the National Football League right now, as players have been caught betting on their own games or even against themselves.

The MLSPA will benefit from a ground-breaking minimization program that is developed by EPIC Risk Management in partnership with Entain Foundation US. Entain Foundation is more focused on promoting responsible gambling and sports integrity in the United States though. In the meantime, both companies have been working to actively strengthen responsible gambling in the United States.

They are already working with the National Football League Players Association and the National Collegiate Athletic Association with more initiatives underway in the United States.

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