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Sunderland unveiled their new red and white home kit for the upcoming 2019-20 season on Tuesday, and while the kit has been met by a mixed reaction from supporters, the notable positive of the kit is the shirt sponsor.

At the start of the 2018-19 campaign, the Black Cats signed a deal with bookmakers Betdaq - ran by a group of Sunderland supporters.

Betdaq's name has been on both home and away Sunderland kits during the current campaign, but at the unveiling of next season's kit, it wasn't Betdaq's name emblazoned across the front.

Instead, the charity Children with Cancer UK will be Sunderland's main kit sponsor next season - and the reason is because of an amazing gesture from Betdaq.

A few weeks ago Betdaq's holding company GVC deciding to pull their football shirt sponsorship deals in order to help tackle harm caused by gambling. It's part of a three-year initiative from the Gambling Commission to cut down gambling-related harm.

A number of high profile names have spoken in recent months of the impact of gambling addiction and how sponsorship in football was not helpful.

A statement from GVC read: "GVC has today committed to unilaterally ending all football shirt sponsorship deals with UK teams and banning perimeter board advertising at football grounds, to allow sporting fans to watch their favourite teams without seeing any incentives to bet. The Company calls on its industry peers and UK football governing bodies to support this move and take action in this area."

But Sunderland signed a sponsorship deal with Betdaq which was meant to stretch into next season and rather than pull the plug completely, it is understood that Betdaq will honour the deal and still pay Sunderland for the advertising.

(Image: Sunderland AFC)

However, in line with their new directive, Betdaq have gifted their place on the shirt to the children's cancer charity.

The mission of the national children’s charity is to improve survival rates and the quality of survival in young cancer patients and to find ways to prevent cancer in the future.

In the 30 years since its inception, Children with Cancer UK has become a major force in paediatric oncology research, having raised over £230 million to help the fight against childhood cancer.

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The new home kit is on sale now. However, the new sponsor will not appear on junior size kits.

Further information about the charity and its research and fundraising activities can be found at www.childrenwithcancer.org.uk.