Scott Davies stresses importance of gambling awareness among players

Former Reading midfielder Scott Davies has stressed the importance of educating players about gambling awareness after the "detrimental" effect his addiction had on his career.

This week is Responsible Gambling Week, an initiative to promote responsible gambling in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Davies, who now works with the EFL and Sky Bet educating footballers about gambling awareness, spent nearly £250,000 on his addiction before entering rehab.

It was a problem that cost him his career, friends and nearly his family. After hitting rock-bottom, Davies knew it was time to address the issue.

"It affected a lot of people for a long time. But it got to not only rock bottom for me, but for them as well," Davies, who now plays for Slough Town, told Sky Sports News.

"I was in the bookies one day and my mum was stood at the door. I didn't realise she was there, I turned around and she was in floods of tears.

"I thought to myself, I can't put my family through this any longer, I can't live this life any longer because it became a routine for me. Going to training and then going to the bookies for as long as I could and that routine needed to stop.

"My mum put me in contact with a rehab clinic and I was in rehab within three or four weeks."

The 30-year-old admitted he did not have time to train because he was always gambling and wants other players to know there is help out there.

"There is always going to be gambling in society now with the way that it is," he added.

"It's so accessible but the problem is making sure these players have got the education on gambling and how it can be detrimental and that's exactly what we are doing.

"It was detrimental to my career but now that the more players we see, I believe it's 15,000 players in the next five years, I think that's something which should be commended and I just think the more people we can educate, the less problems we'll face."