The Rugby Players Association (RPA), Rugby Football Union (RFU) and Premiership Rugby (PRL) have entered into a four-year partnership with Epic to deliver an educational programme centred around gambling awareness.
Following on from the RPA’s inaugural programme that was launched in 2017, Epic will work with these three bodies to teach players about problem gambling and gambling harm, “illustrating when and how to get help,” as well as providing anti-corruption education.
“In 2017, Epic helped us to deliver the first gambling awareness education programme for elite athletes in the UK,” said Richard Bryan, RPA Player Welfare Director.
“To be able to build on that relationship and deliver a multi-year, in-depth programme for more players with Epic, the RFU and PRL is a significant step.”
The programme will be broken down on a year-by-year basis, wherein years one and three will see it delivered to Premiership clubs, Championship clubs, the Red Roses squad and both the England Sevens men’s and women’s teams.
Years two and four, meanwhile, will be for regional academies, covering 16 to 18-year-old players, as well as all women’s Premier 15s clubs and all women’s Premier 15s 16 to 18-year-old player populations.
John Millington, Director of Sports Partnerships at Epic Risk Management, said: “We are thrilled to continue our work with the Rugby Players Association.
“Furthermore, we’re delighted to extend this work in rugby with the RFU and Premiership Rugby — it’s great to see such a joined-up approach across the sport for such a pertinent and growing issue.”
