Flutter to support UK grassroots sports
Flutter UKI has allocated £400,000 to grassroots sports initiatives.
UK.- The London-listed gambling giant Flutter, owner of Paddy Power, Sky Betting & Gaming, Betfair and Tombola, has announced that it will double its allocation to support grassroots sports initiatives across the UK and Ireland. The Cash4Clubs initiative will now provide £400,000 in financial aid to community clubs with financial problems.
The funding will be distributed in the form of £2,000 grants for 200 community clubs in various sports, ranging from badminton and skateboarding to American Football, wheelchair rugby and surfing. The clubs will use the funding to improve facilities, buy new equipment, fund coaching programmes and ensure general operational sustainability.
Flutter said its decision to double its initial allocation of £200,000 for 2023-2024 period was taken after it received over 1,282 applications from clubs. It said it had prioritised clubs in economically disadvantaged areas and those that aim to engage under-represented communities.
Beneficiaries include Team Solent wheelchair rugby club, Taibach Tigers Rounders Club in Wales and the Northern Powerhouse Boxing Academy in Todmorden, Yorkshire. This investment was designed to coincide with the UK government’s Get Active strategy, which seeks to improve access to physical activities.
Flutter UKI CEO Ian Brown said: “Community clubs are the bedrock of sport in the UK and we are committed to doing everything we can to help small clubs make a real difference to people’s lives. I’m delighted we were able to double the size of this year’s Cash4Clubs fund to £400,000 after seeing a record number of applications come in. We are convinced Cash4Clubs will have a real impact in those areas that need it most.”
Earlier this month, Flutter announced that it is looking for a startup with “high potential” to help it target female customers in the UK and Ireland. The initiative forms part of its Alpha Hub “global innovation community”.
The gambling giant wants to develop new ideas and products for its Sky Betting and Gaming, Paddy Power and Betfair brands that better reflect the way that women play. This includes digital solutions that help customers to “unwind, have fun, and relax” and focusing on attracting customers via social and community gaming.
The company says data suggests female players are promising long-term investments. The startup that wins first place in the call will be offered a commercial partnership with Flutter to scale up their solution in the UK and Ireland, as well as access to workshops, networking with senior company figures and the Alpha Hub startup support programme. It will also have the opportunity to showcase to a live audience of investors and tech experts.
