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Radio 4,31 Mar 2025,42 mins

Episode 3: Stoke-on-Trent; Britain's betting city

Changing the Odds

Available for over a year

In the third and final episode of Changing the Odds, Lydia Thomas and Stewart Kenny head to Stoke-On Trent to investigate the deep bonds between the city and Bet365, Stoke's major employer. Lydia Thomas has reported on the online gambling industry for many years, and Stewart Kenny is her guide to how gambling company's work; he founded Paddy Power in the 80s. Bet365 is a British business success story. An online only betting company, it's been spearheaded by Denise Coates who led it to become one of the best known brands in online betting, with its website not only popular in the UK but also in the United States. And despite most online betting companies being based offshore, Bet365 stayed in Stoke - employing nearly 10,000 people in high tech graduate jobs. Bet365 also sponsors the football team Stoke City and its sponsorship is on player's shirts and hoardings on the pitch when you watch matches. But Stoke is also one of the poorest areas in the country, and its population does struggle with gambling addiction. Lydia and Stewart travel to a newly opened NHS Gambling Clinic in the city to hear from addicts, and why a facility like this is needed. Stewart also opens up to Lydia why he quit the board of Paddy Power, did he do enough while he sat on the board to prevent customers experiencing harm from gambling and how could the industry reverse its reputation and become a betting industry that's safe and fair? Presenter: Lydia Thomas Producer: Lydia Thomas and Richard McIlroy Main Contributor: Stewart Kenny Assistant Producer: Emma Smith Technical Producer: Michael Smith

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