Unibet Netherlands launches three-pillar responsibility programme

Kindred Group sportsbook brand Unibet has launched a wide-ranging safe and responsible online gambling project in the Netherlands called Unibet Impact. The Stockholm-headquartered operator has said the programme is “fully aimed at investing in projects that help to realise a safe and responsible online gambling sector”. Three pillars have been cited by the firm as essential to realising this pledge. They include an association with the European Football for Development Network (EFDN), the organisation of a charity tournament in conjunction with new partnerships with Telstar and De Graafschap and a collaboration with amateur sports. The launch comes a week after Kindred Group and AFC Ajax announced a brand-new partnership during which the programme was teased. While the partnership between the Dutch champions and Unibet was called a “pity” by the Dutch Association of Mental Health and Addiction Care (GGZ), the operator claimed that the collaboration can only help to highlight the importance of responsible gambling, mental health awareness and eliminating match-fixing. As part of the launch Unibet announced it had become the main partner of EFDN in the Netherlands. This extends Kindred’s relationship with EFDN, which has been the firm’s community partner since 2019. Discussing the launch, Unibet Netherlands general manager Lennart Kessels said: “Unibet sees an explicit responsibility for the gaming sector to actively contribute to match-fixing education for athletes, coaches and other parties involved in sports.” In conjunction, the operator and the EFDN have launched a 36-month-programme entitled “Fair Sport 4 All” that aims to raise awareness of the of the threats of match-fixing by educating clubs, players and stakeholders. “Besides Fair Sports 4 all, we will also launch the ‘More than Football Fund’ together with EFDN. With this fund, we want to further strengthen the social power of football clubs. This fits well with our ambitions for Unibet Impact,” Kessels added. In tandem with these announcements, Unibet has signed partnerships with Dutch sides Telstar and de Graafschap. While the primary partnerships revolve around commercial and social activities, the company has also organised a charity tournament for Simon Kistemaker, who managed both sides and passed away in 2021. As part of its collaboration with amateur sports, Unibet has also decided to sponsor 50 teams for the new season. Teams from around the Netherlands are invited to apply and will receive fully branded shirts, shorts, socks and kit bags. Kindred was granted a licence to operate in the Netherlands by the Netherlands Gaming Authority (KSA) earlier this month.