The betting company which sponsors Norwich City has given tens of thousands of pounds towards a charity which helps problem gamblers.

LeoVegas is a mobile gaming and sports-betting operator, and became City's shirt sponsor at the start of the 2017/18 season.

GambleAware, which relies purely on donations, is a charity carrying out research and education into gambling, as well as trying to treat people who are addicted.

The charity sets a yearly target of at least £10 million, but for the third year running they have fallen short of this figure, with £9.6 million being raised.

LeoVegas, whose deal with the Canaries is set to expire next year, has donated almost £65,000 over the past 12 months.

Figures released by GambleAware and The Times, covering April 2018 to March 2019, have revealed that betting companies who sponsor Premier League teams are contributing a minimal amount.

Despite Betway, who sponsor West Ham United, giving £132,800 towards the cause, other betting platforms such as W88, Wolves' sponsor, are donating just £250.

And SportsPesa, who appear on Everton's shirt and paid almost £50 million for this deal, are giving just £50 to GambleAware.

According to data released by GambleAware, 430,000 Britons have a problem with gambling, while a further two million could become addicted in the future.

To combat this, betting companies such as LeoVegas have donated a substantial amount to ensure the right research can be done to allow people to receive the help they need.

As part of Responsible Gambling week in November 2018, Norwich City displayed the 'LeoSafePlay' logo on their shirt during the Carabao Cup fixture against Bournemouth.

The initiative, created by Leo Vegas, is their special responsible gaming platform which offers information and support to their customers about the dangers of gambling.

However, there is still a lack of overall support for GambleAware, and this is despite calls from The Gambling Commission, which regulates the industry.

They have suggested that gambling companies should contribute 0.1 pc of their income each year, but the latest figures show that this has not been matched by the majority of bookmakers.