The William Ramsay Cup, a charity football tournament in Sheffield, was held to honour Jack Ritchie, who died in Hanoi in November 2017 after a long struggle with gambling addiction. Founded by his friend Doug Daly in 2017, the annual event raises funds for Gambling With Lives and brings the community together to remember Jack. An inquest found his addiction began using fixed‑odds betting terminals during school lunch breaks; his parents described the tournament as an "amazing" chance to celebrate his life and urged stronger action on gambling harm.
Friends and Family Hold Annual Charity Match To Honour Jack Ritchie and Raise Awareness of Gambling Harm
Jack Ritchie's parents Charles and Liz helped launch the charity Gambling with Lives [Cathy Killick/BBC]
The family and friends of Jack Ritchie held the William Ramsay Cup, an annual charity football tournament, in his memory at the U‑Mix Centre in Sheffield. Jack, 24, who was working as an English teacher in Hanoi, took his own life in November 2017 after a prolonged battle with gambling addiction.
Event Aims To Remember Jack And Support Gambling With Lives
The tournament was founded in 2017 by Jack's friend Doug Daly and has been held every year since to raise funds for the charity Gambling With Lives. The event brings together Jack's friends and the local community to celebrate his life while highlighting the devastation of gambling problems.
Doug Daly set up the tournament in memory of his friend [Cathy Killick/BBC]
Doug Daly: "We grew up playing football together and we still watch matches regularly. After Jack died, we noticed how many gambling adverts are in stadiums. The work groups like Gambling With Lives are doing is finally bringing this to attention."
Inquest Findings And Family Response
An inquest found that Jack had struggled with a gambling addiction for years. His problems began when he used fixed‑odds betting terminals during school lunch breaks and escalated over time. Jack's parents, Charles and Liz Ritchie, attended the tournament and described the occasion as "amazing" — a chance for friends to come together to remember and celebrate his life.
Charles Ritchie said Jack was "bright, intelligent" and well liked, adding that gambling was the only issue that troubled him and that his death came as a shock to friends and family.
Jack Ritchie took his own life in 2017 [Ritchie family]
Liz Ritchie highlighted the wider problem, calling gambling a public health crisis and urging stronger action to help those affected. She noted that Andy Burnham had shown support for Gambling With Lives while serving as Manchester mayor and said she hoped that, should he become prime minister, he could do more to tackle gambling harm.
Why It Matters
The William Ramsay Cup combines remembrance with fundraising and awareness-raising: it keeps Jack's memory alive while supporting families affected by gambling harm and pressing for greater scrutiny of gambling advertising and support services.
About Gambling With Lives: The charity supports families bereaved by gambling-related suicides and works to raise awareness, improve support services and influence policy to reduce gambling harm.
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