Entain to Sponsor Former NBA Player Oakley’s Charity Initiative

The Entain Foundation US, which aims to coordinate the global corporate social responsibility initiatives of the sports betting company Entain, has joined forces with the retired National Basketball League (NBA) All-Star power forward player Charles Oakley.

Entain to Support Oak Out Hunger

The collaboration will see Entain sponsor Oakley’s Oak Out Hunger initiative, run by the NBA star’s own charity organization, the Charles Oakley Foundation.

The initiative’s goal is to provide resources and education on responsible gambling as well as help with Oak Out Hunger’s pre-established goals of providing humanitarian aids to poorer communities that deal with poverty, hunger and sometimes various addictions. Through the partnership with Entain, the Charles Oakley Foundation will, for the first time, provide resources on healthier gambling habits alongside its usual educational materials.

The beginning of the collaborative campaign is scheduled for the beginning of 2022. The initiative will seek momentum through its presence on several upcoming professional sports events, including the renowned Super Bowl and March Madness.

The initiative will visit various cities and universities across different states. Some of the cities will include Buffalo, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York and Philadelphia. Additionally, the charitable campaign plans to go to Indiana University, the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, the Pennsylvania State University and Rutgers University in New Jersey.

The Initiative Aims to Help Those in Need

Oakley spoke about the initiative and said that he wants to improve the abysmal quality of life of the many struggling people across the United States. The former basketball star mentioned that each time he goes outside, he sees people struggling with poverty and hunger who oftentimes use their little remaining money to fund various addictions.

Oakley elaborated that the program is “all about giving back to people who are trying to get through life.” He wants to help those demographics “break the cycle” of addiction, give them a chance and a good meal.

The senior vice president for American regulatory affairs and responsible gambling at Entain, Martin Lycka, added that it’s Entain’s mission to make sure that people in the United States “bet only what they can afford.” According to Lycka, this is especially important in more deprived communities.

 “The Oak Out Hunger campaign is truly unique — and effective — in providing essential services to impoverished and underprivileged urban communities across the US. The Oakley Foundation is an ideal partner to help us reach those in most need with education on responsible gambling,” Lycka concluded.

Entain recently launched a corporate sustainability reporting directive by the name EnTrain, aiming to bring technology to underrepresented groups around the world.