Flutter Makes Biggest Cash4Club Contribution since 2008

Flutter Entertainment has launched its new “Cash4Clubs” campaign, donating £4.8 million to support sports clubs struggling to stay afloat during the lockdown.

“Cash4Club” Campaign Helps Local Sports Clubs

Flutter Entertainment started the company’s latest “Cash4Club” campaign with its biggest contribution so far. Flutter donated £4.8 million to help smaller clubs struggling to survive the Covid-19 pandemic.

Flutter’s charity initiative has been operating since 2008, raising £800,000 and donating that money to UK sports clubs, with £165,000 of grants distributed in 2020 alone. Flutter has also paid in full all the company’s retail employees and has chosen not to accept any “temporary layoff” scheme funding.

The funds were directly given to “Clubs In Crisis” support fund, which the betting group created together with Made by Sport, a charity that aims to support local sports development to improve social mobility, circumstances, and people’s lives. Similarly, Flutter Entertainment made sure to suspend credit card payments to boost consumer protection in Ireland and beyond. 

Club in Crisis Support Fund Campaign

The Club in Crisis campaign aims to give £2021 endowments to smaller organizations, while Made by Sport will set up criteria to determine which of these organizations that aim to help the community to stay afloat during the pandemic are most in need of financial support.

“With a quarter of all sports clubs in the UK facing permanent closure, community sport is facing a crisis,” said Made by Sport chairman Justin King. King reiterated that those funds would be “the difference between permanent closure and the chance to continue the great work they do to address the social inequalities that exist in our communities.”

Flutter Group CEO Peter Jackson has commented that “Clubs In Crisis is a great way for us to pass the benefit of business rates relief straight into the communities where that funding is most needed.”

Jackson has also explained in his statement that the campaign donation is equal to the retail rates relief benefits the company received and it helped maintain the company’s 350 Paddy Power England betting shops that were under temporary lockdown.

Flutter has also spearheaded a flurry of new hires to shake up its executive lineup and bring a more diverse team of experts. Greg McCaw was hired as Group Director of Inclusion and Diversity, and the company added Nancy Dubuc and Holly Koeppel in non-executive roles late in February.