Former Irish League goalkeeper Aaron Hogg has launched the player-led Gambling Support Group (GSG) eight years after his last bet, aiming to help players battling addiction. Hogg's 20-year career saw gambling progress from social fruit machines to destructive 24/7 smartphone betting, leading to debt, depression, and broken relationships. He recalls football matches providing his only 90-minute "release" before reality returned in the dressing room.

The GSG launch coincides with increased betting sponsorship across the men's and women's Irish Premiership and League Cups this season. Professional Footballers' Association NI head Michael Carvill, a former Crusaders team-mate of GSG member Matthew Snoddy, admits he never knew Snoddy struggled despite sharing a changing room for seven years. Carvill notes gambling now extends beyond traditional betting into gaming, in-game purchases, and prize competitions, reaching academy levels.

Irish FA regulations prohibit players from betting on matches involving their team or league. The PFA, Irish FA, and former players including Aaron Traynor and Michael Ruddy are collaborating on support and education. Hogg emphasizes gambling's progressive nature and the dangerous accessibility of modern markets, describing how instant betting has replaced the social aspect of his early career.