Gambling sponsorship in football – the state of play

The Premier League has announced its clubs have collectively agreed to withdraw gambling sponsorship from the front of matchday shirts from the end of the 2025/26 season.

Football’s commercial relationship with the betting industry has been examined as part of a review of the 2005 Gambling Act. The decision by Premier League clubs was voluntarily taken, with future government directives still a possibility.

Here Football Mad explores the key issues.

How crucial is the betting industry to football?

Eight out of 20 Premier League teams this season, and six out of 24 in the Championship, are sponsored by companies linked to gambling. Rick Parry, the chairman of the EFL whose own competitions are sponsored by Sky Bet, said last year that betting sponsorship was worth up to £40million a year to the league and its clubs.

Which clubs will be affected – and what about shirt sleeves?

Five of the eight affected clubs are among the sides locked in the relegation battle, but will still be concerned even if they go down as the new collective agreement does not kick in until the end of the 2025/26 Premier League season, a league statement read, “to assist clubs with their transition away from shirt-front gambling sponsorship.”

Bournemouth, Everton, Leeds, Southampton, West Ham, Fulham, Newcastle and Brentford all currently have betting companies as shirt sponsors.

The Premier League’s announcement specified clubs had agreed to “withdraw gambling sponsorship from the front of clubs’ matchday shirts”, which suggests the brands could still feature on shirt sleeves.

Why do campaigners want an end to front-of-shirt sponsorship?

Carolyn Harris, the chair of the Gambling-Related Harms All-Party Parliamentary Group, told PA in 2020 she believes shirt sponsorship by betting companies “normalises” gambling for children, and that gambling sponsorship in sport in all its forms should – and would – be banned. The Big Step campaign has called for an end to all gambling advertising and sponsorship in football. The campaign is led by people harmed by gambling, both recovered gambling addicts and the bereaved families of those whose gambling addiction contributed to them taking their own lives.

What will happen?

It was reported in July 2022 that the Premier League was asking its clubs to voluntarily phase out front-of-shirt gambling sponsors in order to avert legislation.

A White Paper containing recommendations on reforms to the Gambling Act was reportedly close to publication when former Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced he would stand down, placing it on hold last summer.

The subsequent turmoil within the Conservative Party and the eventual appointment of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak led to further delays. Lucy Frazer, the current Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, was appointed in February.

In her March speech to the Gambling with Lives Annual Parliamentary Forum, Ms Frazer acknowledged another ministerial transition “must be very frustrating” but vowed the White Paper remained an “absolute priority” with the government “committed to publishing it soon.”

Could cryptocurrency companies fill the gap?

With the exception of Crawley, and a short-lived deal signed by Barnsley, clubs have not yet rushed headlong to embrace crypto companies as their saviours amid fears gambling sponsorship could be outlawed, though many already have established relationships with such companies and those offering fan tokens to supporters.

The Football Supporters’ Association wants the game’s authorities to introduce regulatory standards on cryptocurrency in football.

So where else could clubs look, with or without a ban on gambling sponsorship?

Tranmere chairman Mark Palios says club commercial directors need to be more imaginative, and recognise the value of deals which reflect a club’s role within the local community.

Plymouth’s sponsorship model could also gain wider traction – where a brand, in Argyle’s case food manufacturer Ginsters, hands over the front-of-shirt space to a local charity.