FIVE-A-SIDE footballers from Bolton can compete for the chance to take on a team of ex-England internationals.

Powerleague Bolton, in Leverhulme Park is hosting a regional qualifier for the first ever Bet Regret Cup.

Winners from each regional qualifier will be invited to the national finals in London, where they will get the chance to take on a team of ex-England international footballers in Shaun Wright-Phillips, Carlton Cole, Glen Johnson, Paul Konchesky and David James.

The cup has been launched as part of Gambleaware’s safer gambling campaign Bet Regret, which is targeted at 18 to 34-year-old gamblers.

Marc Etches, chief executive officer for GambleAware, said: “Working alongside the football community in Britain is a positive and potentially effective way to encourage young men to reflect on their gambling behaviour and prevent harm. We know that football is their most popular sport to watch, play and bet on. The Bet Regret Cup is intended to raise the profile of Bet Regret across the football community and encourage further self-reflection.”

A recent survey by Ipsos Mori on behalf of GambleAware found that 63 per cent of young male sports gamblers said there are too many opportunities to bet nowadays, and 67 per cent agreed it is easy to get drawn into making impulsive bets.

Shaun Wright-Phillips, the Ex-Manchester City, Chelsea and England winger, who is part of the Bet Regret five-aside team hopes the campaign will make people consider their betting behaviour.

He said: “The Bet Regret campaign has come at an important time; you only have to watch football on TV to see how many betting adverts there are, and how easy it is to place impulsive bets that you might immediately regret. I’m looking forward to playing in the Bet Regret Cup and encouraging a lot of young lads to think about their betting behaviour in the future.”

The Bolton regional qualifier will take place at Powerleague Bolton on Thursday, July 18, at 6.30pm. The national final will be held at Powerleague in Shoreditch on Sunday August 4.

For more information on how to register teams visit www.powerleague.co.uk/tournaments/betregret. Entrants must be over the age of 18.