Samaritans Criticised Over Paddy Power Betfair Partnership

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Samaritans criticised over Paddy Power Betfair partnership

31 August 2019

ByDan Whitworth
Money Box press reporter

The charity Samaritans has actually come in for criticism over its relate to the betting business Paddy Power Betfair.

Staff at the group chose Samaritans as their Charity of the yohaig code Year.

But critics - including family members of people with gambling problems who took their own lives - say it is risking its credibility by working with the company.

Both organisations say Samaritans' insight and knowledge will assist Paddy Power Betfair enhance how it helps susceptible customers.

The collaboration involves activities such as fundraising, corporate contribution and offering.

Samaritans says it will likewise assist it continue its work "to try to minimize the variety of deaths by suicide".

"Appalling"

But John Myers, who lost his child Ryan 5 years back when he took his own life aged 27 after ending up being addicted to gaming, said that was not a great sufficient factor.

"I'm extremely dissatisfied in the Samaritans.

"They're a charitable organisation so they require to get money from other people, wherever they can. But to toss yourself in with the devil I do not believe is right.

"This industry has actually ruined households and damaged lives.

"To even consider lying in bed with these people is wrong and I think they should reassess it and stop taking their money."

Carolyn Harris, chairwoman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Gambling Related Harm, informed the BBC she had concerns about the tie-up.

"At best this promotion code is distasteful and at worst it's dreadful," she stated.

"When you see them [Samaritans] aligning themselves to a market with a reputation for being accountable for suicides through dependency to betting - it troubles me.

"For me it legitimises this promotion code business. I have actually satisfied many individuals who've lost liked ones, livelihoods and homes through dependency to betting.

"Everything Samaritans does is to try to solve the problems that all betting companies have a function to play in developing.

" [Samaritans] need to return to basics and keep doing what's it's been respected for providing for years - its wonderful work."

In declarations both organisations stated the yohaig code partnership will not just assist Samaritans' fundraising efforts, but its insight and expertise will also help Paddy Power Betfair care for vulnerable customers and develop and reinforce its policies in this area.

Paddy Power Betfair added it is "eager to gain from the wonderful work the Samaritans already do, in order to continuously improve our responsible betting tools and interactions".

You can hear more on BBC Radio 4's Money Box programme on Saturday at 12pm or listen again here.

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