BERLIN (AP) \u2014 Seeking redemption, one man whose gambling addiction landed him in prison is taking on the sports betting industry in Germany.<\/p>\n
Thomas Melchior is doing it by holding a sign saying \u201clost a bet\u201d before soccer games while putting himself at the mercy of the home fans by wearing their hated rivals\u2019 jerseys to get attention.<\/p>\n
He wore a Hertha Berlin shirt to Union Berlin\u2019s game on Sunday, an 1860 Munich jersey at Bayern Munich\u2019s match on Saturday, and a Hamburger SV shirt at crosstown rival St. Pauli on Friday. He previously wore a Schalke top at a Borussia Dortmund game, and a Bayern jersey at an 1860 match. He has more games to attend next weekend.<\/p>\n
A sheep in wolf\u2019s clothing<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, it\u2019s dangerous, I wouldn\u2019t recommend it for anyone,\u201d Melchior told The Associated Press before he unveiled his hidden Hertha jersey to the Union fans.<\/p>\n
The sign says he lost a bet, but Melchior lost so much more. Melchior, a former bank teller, was sentenced to 5\u00bd years in prison in 2019 for fraud and theft offenses against strangers and people he knew after losing more than 800,000 euros ($937,000 today) on gambling. He lost his job, friends and family, too, and felt completely alone. He thought about ending his life.<\/p>\n
Now he\u2019s working on righting his wrongs, and repaying his debts.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen the handcuffs clicked, it was the first moment I felt free again since my first bet. That\u2019s when I felt I had survived gambling addiction,\u201d Melchior said. \u201cIn that moment, I decided I would try to repair all the damage. And I wanted to get out of prison with the best possible conditions so I could inform and warn people about gambling addiction. That\u2019s why I\u2019m here today.\u201d<\/p>\n
Melchior, who has quickly built up a large following on TikTok<\/a> and Instagram<\/a>, received a mostly positive response from fans on Sunday \u2014 his message had already reached many through social media and some fans stopped for selfies \u2014 but there were others who expressed surprise or amusement.<\/p>\n \u201cPoor sod!\u201d some fans laughed as they kept walking. Others stopped to talk and to hear Melchior\u2019s story and his advice to \u201ckeep your finger away from sports betting.\u201d Some covered his shirt and sign with stickers.<\/p>\n Players\u2019 union slams federation<\/p>\n Coincidentally, last week the German soccer players\u2019 union (VDV) called on the German soccer federation (DFB) to stop accepting sponsorship funds from sports betting providers and to do more to prevent gambling addiction.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s unacceptable that the DFB proclaims \u2018supporting effective addiction prevention\u2019 as one of its goals in its statutes, while it simultaneously sells exorbitant amounts of advertising space to sports betting providers,\u201d VDV vice president Maik Franz, a former Bundesliga player, said in a statement.<\/p>\n DFB-organized competitions including the German Cup are sponsored by an international sports betting provider \u2014 third-division teams bear its logo on their arm sleeves. Another sports betting provider previously sponsored the division.<\/p>\n Franz accused the DFB of \u201cdamaging football\u2019s reputation and enriching itself at the expense of people with gambling addictions and their families.\u201d<\/p>\n But many Bundesliga and second division clubs, including Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, and Bayer Leverkusen, also advertise sports betting providers \u2014 on their jerseys, on advertising hoardings, showing they\u2019re profiting, too. Sports betting providers also dominate TV advertising slots.<\/p>\n \u201cOmnipresent advertising is already triggering children and young people,\u201d Franz said.<\/p>\n The DFB has been asked for comment.<\/p>\n Travel plans<\/p>\n Melchior told The AP he became addicted after his first bet on a Champions League game.<\/p>\n \u201cI saw an advert for a betting provider and didn\u2019t think anything bad about it because it was on TV, and I could never imagine that it was a problem in any way. That\u2019s how my journey began, and 13 years later, I was arrested,\u201d Melchior said.<\/p>\n Melchior wants to take his campaign abroad, too. But his criminal record makes it difficult for him to travel, foiling his plan to attend the Manchester derby earlier this month, when he wanted to wear a Manchester United jersey at Manchester City\u2019s stadium.<\/p>\n \u201cGambling addiction isn\u2019t (just) a national, purely German problem. Gambling addiction is a global problem. That\u2019s why we\u2019re planning to go to other countries,\u201d Melchior said. \u201cBecause of my criminal record, I can\u2019t get a visa just like that. I have to apply for one at the embassy. It takes a bit longer. But I\u2019m sure if that works out, we\u2019ll see each other in England very soon.\u201d<\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n