Top Athletes Three Times More Likely to be Problem Gamblers, Study Finds

Stoke City player Matthew Etherington, who says his addiction to gambling made him socially withdrawn. a new study says athletes may be more prone become issue gamblers.
Problem gamblers are far more represented among top level athletes in the UK, a fact which may be a hidden epidemic of alarming proportions. That’s according up to a study that is new’s considering confidential interviews with 350 Uk soccer players and cricketers.
The research, which was carried down by social research experts NatGen on behalf of the Professional Players Federation, the umbrella body for players’ unions, spoke to 170 expert footballers through the English Premier League down and 176 pro cricketers, from international level down, and found that the frequency of problem gamblers among the group ended up being slightly over three times greater than that of young in the population that is general.
Of the total sample size, 6.1 percent were deemed to be problem gamblers, while a further 12 per cent were regarded as ‘at risk.’ If the sample dimensions are truly representative of all top degree athletes, then, when the info is extrapolated, the study suggests that around 200 pro soccer players and cricketers have actually serious issues, and 440 on top of that are ‘at risk of gambling problems and [have] patterns of not searching for help.’
Nurture or nature?
‘This research shows there exists a considerably higher rate of gambling problems among professional recreations individuals than the wider population,’ said Research Director at NatCen Heather Wardle. ‘It is interesting to question why this might be. Can it be due to a betting culture? Could it be something about athletes’ characters or perhaps a mix of those two?’
It is truly a question sports governing systems must certanly be thinking about, particularly as it’s believed that players with gambling problems are more vunerable to match-fixing approaches.
The English Football Association (FA) announced that from the 2014/15 season all players in English soccer could be banned from betting, not just on tournaments in which their group is included, as ended up being previously the full case, but from all football matches anywhere in the world. Last year Spurs and England winger Andros Townsend and Norwich striker Cameron Jerome had been both fined by the FA for breaching its gambling regulations.
Duty of Care
‘There is an urgent need to break the stigma down mounted on problem gambling in sport. Sportsmen are a clear ‘at risk’ group and the whole of professional sport features a duty of care to these young men,’ says Brendon Batson, chairman of the Professional Players’ Federation. ‘We all have to come together to grow and enhance the good training that exists on training and treatment for problem gambling.’
Various EPL soccer players attended clean in the past about their betting habits, including Newcastle forward Michael Chopra, who has admitted to blowing millions on gambling and was also charged with race manipulations by the British Horseracing Authority. Stoke’s Matthew Etherington meanwhile confessed to losing £1.5 million on greyhounds, horses and poker, and said his gambling addiction made him socially withdrawn.
‘There are several issues here,’ claims General Secretary for the PFF Simon Taylor. ‘There is a duty of care to the players. Additionally you want players playing well so you need to check after them. You will need effective education, and treatment in spot for those who require it and may require help … Sport has to look at the culture it really is creating around young players.’
Paul Phua Pleads Simple in Las Vegas, Nevada Sports Betting Case, Feds Want $13M
Paul Phua and his son Darren will plead not liable to charges that they helped run an unlawful sports gambling band out of a Caesars Put villa in Las Vegas. (Image: AP)
Paul Phua and his son Darren plan to enter maybe not accountable pleas this week, they helped operate an illegal sports betting ring out of a Caesars Palace villa in Las Vegas during this year’s World Cup event as they vow to continue fighting charges that claim.
The two guys had been alone one of the eight defendants that are initial the situation. Five other people are determined to plead guilty while the eighth defendant has had his case dismissed.
‘We are not responsible as we always maintained,’ said David Chesnoff, the attorney representing both Phuas. ‘It is our intention to fight the unconstitutional conduct of the federal government for our consumers as well as for the public.’
Phuas Will Challenge Evidence, FBI Procedure
The Phuas’ defense may rest more heavily on exactly how proof was collected and used, instead than on claims that they certainly weren’t active in the sports ring that is betting se.
In July, FBI agents caused casino and a websites provider to cut the Internet connection off to the property suspected of hosting the gambling band. That caused the defendants to call for technology support, after which agents pretended to be service personnel so as to enter the villa and take movie.
That video was then used as evidence to obtain a warrant for a raid that is later which led to the arrest of the defendants. Protection lawyers maintain that manipulating the specific situation by cutting off Internet access was a breach of the customers’ Fourth Amendment rights against unlawful search and seizure.
In more recent filings, lawyers have also said that the government claimed that Paul Phua and fellow defendant Richard Yong were members associated with the 14K Triad, one of the world’s largest criminal organizations, without much actual evidence to straight back up that claim. But what ‘flimsy’ evidence they did have was utilized to simply help convince a federal judge to permit the raid that led ladbrokes casino promotions to their arrest.
Officials additionally allege that a Macau casino junket that was used to help settle bets with some customers is related to Cheung Chi-Tai, a man who’s reportedly a leader of the Wo Hop To Triad based in Hong Kong.
Five Agree to Plea Deals, One Has Charges Dropped
As the Phuas have actually outlined their defense, five other defendants have determined to end their cases after negotiating plea agreements. Richard Yong, Yan Zhang, Yung Keung Fan, and Herman Chun Sang Yeung struck deals that may allow them to plead accountable to misdemeanors before US District Judge Andrew Gordon later this week.
Hui Tang will also plead guilty to a felony gambling charge.
All five are required become sentenced this week, with probation being the many likely phrase. That would make it possible in order for them to come back to their homes, every one of which are in Southeast Asia. The defendant that is final Wai Kin Yong (son of Richard Yong) has had all charges against him dismissed.
It’s likely that the resolution of this case will also involve the forfeiture of significant assets by the defendants. Federal prosecutors say they hope to recover as much as $13 million from the seven remaining defendants. That could include more than $650,000 in cash and casino chips along with mobile phones, iPads and computers, all of that was seized during the raid on the villas.
Trump Taj Mahal Delays Closing Date to Late December
The Trump Taj Mahal may still close, but the date for that power down has been forced right back until at least December 20. (Image: Tony Kurdzuk/The Star-Ledger)
The Trump Taj Mahal still plans to close in December, but the final day’s operations has been pushed straight back by eight times to December 20. That delay comes as moms and dad company Trump Entertainment Resorts continues to negotiate on several fronts, including with the continuing state of New Jersey, the city of Atlantic City, and the union that represents lots of its workers.
As has been the instance for several weeks now, both Trump Entertainment Resorts and investor Carl Icahn, who could potentially turn the financial obligation he owns into control of the casino, say that they would be ready to keep the Trump Taj Mahal open, but only on their terms.
That would consist of having regional 54 of this UNITE HERE union drop its appeal of a bankruptcy court ruling that would let the casino to break their contract with workers. They would also require tax that is significant through the city and state.
‘The Trump Taj Mahal is engaged in a ditch that is last to obtain additional financial the assistance of Atlantic City and/or the State of New Jersey,’ said Senior Vice President for Marketing Operations Kathleen McSweeney in a statement. ‘We remain hopeful that an agreement can be reached enabling the Trump Taj Mahal to remain open.’
Operations Winding Down Despite Delay
Still, there are signs that the Taj Mahal still expects to power down regarding the date that is new at least for as soon as. Early last week, the resort closed one of its resort towers and stopped issuing credit to gamblers who had been nevertheless playing within the casino. McSweeney also said that some workers are now working fewer hours as being a results of operations winding down throughout the Taj Mahal.
In the other side, bankruptcy filings from Trump Entertainment Resorts included information that suggested the closing date could be revised yet once again to continue to go out of room for all parties to negotiate.
‘The debtors continue steadily to make progress with respect to various efforts that are critical to your success of these chapter 11 cases and their cap ability to help keep the Taj available, and therefore it remains possible that the present proposed closing date for the Taj…will be further extended,’ the company composed.
Tax Stabilization Bill Could Meet Demands
Probably the most source that is likely of could be a tax stabilization plan that is becoming reviewed into the state legislature. That plan was approved by the State Senate budget committee after Atlantic City Mayor Don Guardian testified in favor of the bill monday.
‘ we do believe this legislation is going to save the Taj from closing,’ said Guardian. ‘It’s what the proposed owner that is new been seeking.’
Under the proposed plan, Atlantic City casinos would spend a total of $150 million instead of taxes each of the next couple of years, and then $120 million for each one of the next 13 years, with possible adjustments should gambling profits change dramatically.
This would allow both the casinos to be certain inside their tax expenses, while the city may have more certainty in cost management for future years. The bill would additionally redirect some funds to help pay the city off’s debts, and would guarantee at least a minimum amount of wellness benefits for Atlantic City casino workers.
