Celtic fans have been left fuming by the club’s decision to directly promote gambling on the official Twitter page.
The Hoops are hoping supporters take part in a competition to win tickets for an upcoming clash at home to Kilmarnock, requiring new users to sign up to a new Celtic-themed online slot machine game.
Although obviously the club’s shirt sponsor is a betting company, many fans feel directly promoting the use of online slot machines, potentially to first time users, is a step too far and contrary to the values of the football club.
The use of gambling promotion in football, not just at Celtic, is becoming more and more of an issue.
A simple look at the Scottish game shows the named sponsors of the Scottish Premiership, Scottish League Cup and Scottish Cup all being betting companies, which obviously isn’t ideal.
Clubs and authorities have a difficult balance to strike between generating income and making sure fans are not exploited.
Loads of supporters feel Celtic were on the wrong side of things today, taking to Twitter to share their thoughts…
A really bad call. Disappointing.
— Cormac Mac Liam (@MacLiam1) April 17, 2019
The only way to get these tickets is by joining a gambling site and staking £10, you will literally have people gambling for the first time.
It’s bad enough having a bookie as your sponsor but actively encouraging gambling is a step too far.
— Paul (@fudpucker74) April 17, 2019
Not a great look lads. Not a great look at all
— JungleG (@Tim_Lizzy) April 17, 2019
Who in the club thought this was a good idea -horrible choice
— Tommy Craig CSC (@tommycraigcsc) April 17, 2019
How the club condones this is beyond our values
— BOXER T???????????? (@boxertoye) April 17, 2019
I get the need for ever increasing the cashflow through the club, but this isn’t the right way to go about it. Poor all round from the club.
— Chris O’Donnell (@ChrisDonnell) April 17, 2019
Get this away from the club, there’s enough betting advertising associated with the Scottish game already without a Celtic slot machine. It’s not a bit of fun for most people, these sites can ruin lives.
— Horris (@HorrisMcLoven) April 17, 2019
I get that Celtic need to make as much money from various partnerships as possible. I can accept them chasing the gambling money, would rather they didn’t though. The push of a Celtic themed slot by the official twitter account is pretty grim though.
— Alistair Guthrie (@i_am_alistair) April 17, 2019
Is this what we have become? The present custodians are taking us down a road that our founders and many of our supporters will find disgusting. To encourage this while supporters collect food for the needy is awful.
— Mick (@spikeybhoy) April 17, 2019