AFL giants Essendon have turned their back on the lucrative world of wagering, announcing they will not consider sponsorships from betting partners.

In a move aimed to curb the impact of gambling messages, which have become prevalent in modern sport, Bombers chief executive Xavier Campbell said feedback from the club’s near 60,000-strong members was important.

“We certainly respect the right of betting agencies to advertise in sport,” Campbell said.

“But as an industry we need to proactively monitor the way this message is delivered particularly given many of our fans are children.”