Christians are being urged to speak up about the dangers of problem gambling and its link to sports through the Stop Betting Ads campaign.

The campaign, which can be found at Stopbettingads.com, is pressing for a complete ban on gambling advertising in sport as part of the Government's current review of the 2005 Gambling Act. 

Betting companies are major sponsors of football, with the campaign warning that nearly three quarters of Premier League and Championship football clubs have a betting sponsor or other commercial arrangement with a gambling company.

Shirt sponsorship is one of the ways that betting firms can advertise through sport, and West Ham, Newcastle United and Leeds United are just some of the teams that have their shirts sponsored by betting companies. 

Andy Frost, campaign co-founder and director of Share Jesus International, said: "Gambling advertising presents betting as a bit of harmless fun and yet lives are being destroyed and futures severed.

"The impact of this addition is far-reaching and legislation must step in to prevent further lives from being lost."

Christians are being invited to make their concerns heard by submitting their views through the website before the review closes at the end of the month. 

The Bishop of St Albans, Alan Smith, is encouraging Christians to speak up about the level of gambling advertising in sport.

"We must all do our part in protecting young people from gambling harms," he said. 

According to the campaign, nearly one in five people with a gambling problem have considered suicide, and problem gamblers are eight times more likely to have attempted suicide than the general population.

Martin Bateman, CEO of Ambassadors Football, said: "Technology has made gambling around sport, and football in particular, easier than ever.

"The effects of problem gambling not only affect the person gambling, but families, friends and their community can suffer long term harm. Now Is a great time to bring about change in this area."

Danny Webster, head of advocacy at the Evangelical Alliance, which is also backing the campaign said: "This review is the first time the laws governing gambling have been looked at in more than fifteen years. It's a vital opportunity to have our voices heard.

"We want to see gambling regulated in a way that protects young people and the most vulnerable, and by taking a tough approach to the marketing and advertising practices of gambling companies the government can show they are serious about this."