Entain plc

11/18/2021 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/18/2021 08:14

Entain Foundation U.S. Sponsors NBA Legend Charles Oakley’s “Oak Out Hunger” Community Project

18 November 2021

Entain Foundation U.S. Sponsors NBA Legend Charles Oakley's "Oak Out Hunger" Community Project

Responsible gambling education programs to join community services led by Oakley for underprivileged communities in major American Cities

The Entain Foundation U.S., the not-for-profit charitable trust of Entain, is to sponsor an initiative led by retired NBA legend Charles Oakley to include education in responsible gambling with other forms of support to impoverished, underprivileged communities facing hunger, addiction, and economic challenges in cities across the U.S.

The Entain Foundation U.S. sponsorship will provide both funding and expertise in preventing and mitigating problem gambling to the Oak Out Hunger initiative. It means that, for the first time, education in responsible gambling will sit alongside other valuable and worthwhile community services provided by the Charles Oakley Foundation, including anti-addiction and education programs.

Early next year this program will operate in U.S. cities including Los Angeles, New York, Buffalo, Philadelphia and New Orleans - coinciding with major sporting events including the Super Bowl and March Madness, the college basketball tournament. In addition, the campaign will visit further cities and towns also home to universities including Indiana University, the University of Michigan and Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State, Rutgers, West Virginia and Tennessee.

"As sports betting takes off across many U.S. states, we're committed to do all we can to ensure that people only bet what they can afford - which is especially important in more deprived communities," said Martin Lycka, Entain senior vice president for American regulatory affairs and responsible gambling, and trustee of the Entain Foundation U.S. "The Oak Out Hunger campaign is truly unique - and effective - in providing essential services to impoverished and underprivileged urban communities across the U.S. The Oakley Foundation is an ideal partner to help us reach those in most need with education on responsible gambling."

"It's all about giving back to people who are trying to get through life," Charles Oakley said. "I go all over. And you see people hanging out on the streets, nowhere to get a meal, some of whom use what little money they have to fund addictions. Our program is about helping to break that cycle. Give them a chance and a good meal. Meet some different people and have a good time."

With the Entain Foundation US sponsorship, the Charles Oakley Foundation and Oak Out Hunger campaign join other nationally and globally recognized partners who collaborate with Entain to prevent and combat potentially harmful behaviors among at-risk populations.

Entain and its two sister foundations, the Entain Foundation and the Entain Foundation U.S., operate some of the world's most innovative and comprehensive portfolios of programs designed to prevent and mitigate problem gambling. For example, a free app, developed by Entain, called "Gamble Responsibly America," is available through the App Store and Google Play, with no branding or commercial promotion.

The Entain Foundation U.S. is a first-of-its-kind non-profit organization dedicated to promoting responsible gambling, sports integrity and corporate compliance in the U.S. The Foundation was launched in 2019 by the Entain Global Foundation and the Entain Group. Entain is the leading global sports betting, gaming and interactive entertainment operator, which jointly owns BetMGM in the U.S.

-ENDS-

Contacts

Media - Entain plc
Tessa Curtis, Head of Group PR & Media Relations
Jay Dossetter, Head of ESG and Press Office
Jodie Hitch, PR Manager

[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

Entain Foundation US:
David Klucsik, Princeton Strategic Communications

[email protected]
609-516-6764

About the Entain Foundation U.S.
Trustees of the Entain Foundation US include Entain's Martin Lycka, former New York Giants wide receiver and Super Bowl Champion Amani Toomer and international gambling regulatory expert Bill Pascrell III, a partner at Princeton Public Affairs Group. The Entain Foundation US also sponsors a variety of information and education programs on problem gambling for professional athletes, collegiate athletes, coaches and teams at 40 U.S colleges and universities and several associated leagues. Globally, the Entain Foundation has committed more than $100 million to responsible gambling programs over the next five years. https://entainfoundation-us.com/

About Entain plc
Entain plc (LSE: ENT) is a FTSE100 company and is one of the world's largest sports-betting and gaming groups, operating both online and in the retail sector. The Group owns a comprehensive portfolio of established brands; Sports Brands include bwin, Bet.pt, Coral, Crystalbet, Eurobet, Ladbrokes, Neds and Sportingbet; Gaming Brands include CasinoClub, Foxy Bingo, Gala, Gioco Digitale, Ninja Casino, Optibet, partypoker and PartyCasino. The Group owns proprietary technology across all its core product verticals and in addition to its B2C operations provides services to a number of third-party customers on a B2B basis.

The Group has a joint-venture with MGM Resorts International creating a leader, BetMGM, in sports betting and iGaming in the US. Entain provides the technology which powers BetMGM and exclusive games and products, specially developed at its in-house gaming studios. The Group is tax resident in the UK with licenses in a total of 27 regulated markets. Entain is a leader in ESG, a member of FTSE4Good, the DJSI and is AA rated by MSCI. The Group has set a science-based target, committing to be carbon net zero by 2035 and through the Entain Foundation supports a variety of initiatives, focusing on safer gambling, grassroots sport, diversity in technology and community projects.

For more information see the Group's website: www.entaingroup.com

About the Charles Oakley Foundation
The Charles Oakley Foundation is a nonprofit organization focused on helping make the world around us a better, happier place. With the help of our tireless staff, friends and partners, we focus on helping impoverished and underprivileged communities. In 2020, the Charles Oakley Foundation launched the Oak Out Hunger campaign which has provided thousands of meals and other social services to impoverished families in such cities as Cleveland (Oakley's hometown), New York, Los Angeles, and other major American cities. Founder Charles Oakley played power forward for 19 seasons (1985-2004) in the NBA including 10 seasons with the New York Knicks (1988-98) where he was named an NBA all-star in 1994. Since his 2004 retirement, Oakley has spent much of his time giving back to society by cooking and serving the homeless, combining his passions for working in the kitchen and giving back. Additionally, Oakley is the coach of the Killer 3s, which plays in the BIG3 league co-founded by Ice Cube. For more information, see the Foundation's website: https://charlesoakleyfoundation.org