The World Cup goalie turned anti-gambling campaigner
Why this matters: political developments that affect policy direction and public trust.
The England football legend who conceded the “goal of the century” and Hand of God goals to Diego Maradona at the 1986 World Cup is now ... trying to influence the European Union's budget negotiations. Former England goalkeeper Peter Shilton is a supporter of an online gambling tax. The idea was proposed in April by the European Parliament to help fund the bloc's €2 trillion budget from 2028 to 2034, and has since won the backing of several governments. A former gambling-addict-turned-campaigner, Shilton told POLITICO in Brussels that a new levy would starve betting companies of revenue that they would otherwise spend on advertising to lure people into gambling. "There's so much competition between gambling companies that they'll go to any extent to advertise and drag people in," Shilton said during a visit to Brussels last week with his wife and fellow campaigner, Steph. The Shiltons campaigned for the British government to ban betting ads from Premier League shirts: "For youngsters especially, seeing their heroes in photos with a gambling company on it is not good." They argued that having fewer gamblers would result in lower debt levels. The EU's online gambling tax — which is estimated to generate €1.9 billion per year — is being opposed by Malta, whose economy heavily relies on online gambling firms. Maltese firms "will not engage with us at all. If anything, they've tried to shut us [down]," said Steph. "They window dress, but deep down they're after everybody's money ... Simple as that," echoed Peter.