Dominic Matteo Joins Martin Lycka for Live Edition of The Safe Bet Show at SBC Summit 2025

In collaboration with EPIC Global Solutions, Martin Lycka will be hosting a special live edition of The Safe Bet Show at the upcoming SBC Summit 2025, taking place one month from today in Lisbon. To mark the occasion, Lycka will welcome a distinguished guest to the stage—Dominic Matteo, former Liverpool and Leeds United defender, and now a powerful voice in the safer gambling movement.

A veteran of 155 appearances for Liverpool between 1992 and 2000 before transferring to Leeds United, Matteo enjoyed a successful football career spanning nearly two decades. But it’s his post-football journey that has given him new purpose: advocating for responsible gambling and player protection.

Lycka expressed his enthusiasm about Matteo’s appearance:

Matteo’s personal experience with gambling addiction adds powerful authenticity to his advocacy. At his lowest point, he placed a £500,000 bet on a single horse race and accrued over £1 million in gambling debts. With the support of his wife—now also an advocate and Lived Experience Facilitator with EPIC Global Solutions—he was able to turn his life around. Today, they work together to educate others, particularly professional athletes, about the hidden risks of gambling harm.

EPIC Global Solutions, a leader in gambling harm prevention, works closely with individuals like Matteo and his wife, who use their lived experience to connect, inform, and inspire change. Jess, another Lived Experience Facilitator and part of The Safe Bet Show live panel, also brings vital perspective to this conversation.

In 2019, Matteo faced another daunting challenge when he was diagnosed with a brain tumour that had been dormant since childhood—another life-altering event that has shaped his outlook and strengthened his resolve to help others.