Football tournament to be held in memory of Sheffield man who died due to gambling disorder

A football tournament held in memory of Jack Ritchie, a Sheffield man who died by suicide due to a gambling disorder at age 24, will be held for the fourth time this Sunday, September 3.

The tournament will be raising money for Gambling with Lives, the charity set up by Jack’s parents, Liz and Charles Ritchie, after his death, and Sheffield Mind. 

Jack, from Sheffield, was drawn into gambling by a local bookie while he was still at school. He passed away in 2017.

Charles Ritchie, Jack’s dad, said: “His death was a massive shock to all of his friends. They all knew he gambled but didn't know how dangerous it can be - certainly not that it could be a killer.

“Football was always one of Jack's passions in life. The William Ramsay Cup is such a wonderful event - a chance for us to meet up with so many of the people who loved him as we did.”

The 2023 William Ramsay Cup tournament, organised by Jack’s friends, will be held at Sheffield’s U-Mix Centre from midday on September 3. Around 200 attendees are expected.

Doug Daly, one of Jack’s friends who organised the tournament, said: “We all miss Jack everyday, so it’s so important that we come together to remember him. What better way to do that than by spending the day playing the game he loved?”

“We’re hoping this year’s William Ramsay Cup will be a great tribute to Jack’s memory. It will be friendly but competitive – just the way he liked it.”

Both Gambling With Lives and Mind will be at the event with information about their work, gambling addiction, and how harmful gambling disorder is to mental health.  

Up to 1.44 million people are addicted to gambling in the UK, and many millions more are at risk of addiction or harm by someone else’s gambling. There are up to 496 gambling-related suicides every year in England alone.