This fortnight, during the international break, Safer Gambling ambassador David James is helping football fans across the country overcome their boredom in a bid to stop them making impulsive bets.

Over 25 million people in the UK support a Premier League or Championship club and the international break is a time they can find dull due to the gap in their team’s fixture schedule. Boredom is one of three behaviours identified – along with being drunk and chasing losses – that can lead to placing impulsive bets and the immediate remorseful feeling of Bet Regret.

The FSA, who have partnered with the Bet Regret campaign for the 2019/20 football season, will also be putting out a series of “Beat The Break Brain Busters” throughout the international break for fans to tackle.

David James said: “Supporting Safer Gambling within football is something that is important to me. There is so much exposure to betting and it is increasingly easy to bet impulsively, so I want to encourage football fans to think twice about how they are betting. Helping fans beat the break this October is only the start and I’m looking forward to working with GambleAware and the Football Supporters’ Association this season to raise awareness of Bet Regret.”

A survey conducted by the FSA and GambleAware earlier this season revealed that only 10% of football fans felt their club was doing enough to encourage safer gambling.

David James will also be encouraging football fans throughout the season to moderate their betting behaviours by supporting additional initiatives that encourage supporters to Think Twice before placing a bet when bored, drunk or chasing losses.