A Wigan firm's socially responsible approach to business has earned it a top honour
International recognition has been given to a Wigan business consultancy specialising in safer gambling
A Wigan firm that protects people from the dangerous excesses of gambling is celebrating a major international prize.
EPIC Global Solutions has been named winner of the Socially Responsible Initiative of the Year at the prestigious SBC Awards 2026, recognising the impact of its player protection and integrity education programmes across global sport.
The award was presented to the Appley Bridge-based global consultancy by Dutch football icon Edgar Davids and renowned British sports broadcaster Kirsty Gallacher at Lisbon’s MEO Arena, recognising EPIC’s continued work to provide athletes, staff and wider sporting communities with relevant, preventative education around gambling-related risk.
Their winning submission focused on the outcomes being achieved through education programmes across professional sport, with particular emphasis on two partnerships that have generated significant reach and impact over the past year: an ongoing body of work with the League of Ireland, supported by Flutter, and a programme delivered through the SPFL, supported by William Hill.
The League of Ireland programme launched at the beginning of 2026 as a three-year initiative spanning the men’s and women’s game, academies, development teams, match officials and FAI staff.
Its impact has already been significant.
More than 70 EPIC workshops have reached over 2,000 League of Ireland players and FAI staff, with 89 per cent of participants reporting confidence in recognising signs of harmful gambling behaviour and knowing how to approach related conversations.
Meanwhile, 94 per cent reported excellent awareness of FAI and UEFA integrity regulations following the education – including a significant rise from 53 per cent to 94 per cent among women players as a consequence of the sessions.
The success of the programme has subsequently led Flutter and the FAI to extend delivery to the new FAI National League.
EPIC’s partnership with the SPFL and William Hill has delivered similarly encouraging evidence of impact. Evaluation from the programme’s first year found that 93 per cent of first-team players reported a good or excellent level of awareness around gambling and professional integrity following their session, compared with 74 per cent beforehand.
The programme subsequently expanded its focus on preventative education within academy environments, with more than 350 academy players and coaches engaged during the 2025/26 season and 93 per cent of attendees describing their session as “really impactful”.
CEO Paul Buck said:
“Winning this award is fantastic recognition for our team, but also for the organisations that continue to invest in meaningful, preventative education across sport.
“The League of Ireland and SPFL programmes demonstrate what can be achieved when rights holders, gambling operators and education providers work collaboratively with a long-term commitment to making a difference.
“We’re particularly proud that the impact can be demonstrated through the feedback and evaluation we receive from the people taking part.
“Our thanks go to Flutter, William Hill, the FAI, League of Ireland and SPFL, as well as everyone who has engaged with our sessions. This award gives us further motivation to keep raising the standard and extending the reach of this work globally.”
Having also been shortlisted for Socially Responsible Initiative of the Year at both the SBC Awards Europe and SBC Awards Americas during 2026, success in Lisbon provides further recognition of the growing scale and measurable impact of EPIC’s prevention-led approach to player protection.