My name is James and I'm in recovery from a 12-year gambling addiction. I know how damaging gambling ads can be, especially for young people and children, and that's why I've joined forces with Peter and Steph Shilton to campaign to stop gambling sponsorship in football now.

Gambling adverts in the sport are everywhere - they're on shirts, around the pitch, in matchday programmes, on club's social media channels, during TV broadcasts, on trophies, on video games and even in sticker books...

Unfortunately this means children are being relentlessly encouraged to gamble and that has consequences.

I was one of many young football fans exposed to this advertising and this proved to be my introduction to a twelve year gambling addiction that destroyed my life.

I'm now over four years without gambling but sadly, many don't recover from this cruel addiction. 

• There are an estimated 250-650 gambling-related suicides in the UK every year (Source)
• There are an estimated 5 million people affected by gambling related harm in the UK according to YouGov (Source)

I'm proud to represent Gambling with Lives, a community of families bereaved by gambling-related suicide that provides support, raises awareness of gambling disorder's devastating effects and campaigns for change

Together, we founded The Big Step - a campaign to end all gambling advertising and sponsorship in football, led by people harmed by it. There are now 30 clubs in the UK and Ireland who back our campaign.

But most football clubs aren't listening... 

• There were 700 gambling adverts in one Premier League match
• A gambling brand is visible up to 89% of the time on Match of the Day

So we need your help...

The UK gambling laws are currently being reviewed, so adding your voice to this petition now is really important.

We need to make as much noise as possible and show the UK Government that we want to end the harmful amount of gambling adverts and sponsorship in football. 

Please sign and please share. Thank you