Premier League to limit gambling sponsors on shirts

Premier League clubs have collectively agreed to withdraw gambling sponsorship from the front of their matchday shirts by the end of the 2025-26 season.

And clubs will be allowed to secure new shirt-front deals before the deadline.

Eight top-flight clubs have gambling companies on the front of their shirts, worth an estimated £60m per year.

The announcement follows a consultation between the league, its clubs and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport as part of the government’s ongoing review of current gambling legislation.

The decision will see the Premier League become the first sports league in the UK to take such a measure voluntarily in order to reduce gambling advertising.

The league is also working with other sports on the development of a new code for responsible gambling sponsorship.

A gambling white paper is expected to be published by the government after its review of gambling legislation.

The government was not expected to propose banning gambling sponsorship, with the plan being for the Premier League to agree voluntarily to a change.

The plans were largely agreed by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson before he stepped down.

What is the background?

Campaigners for a wider ban say gambling sponsorship in football has normalised the industry, and that tighter regulation is needed to protect children and other vulnerable groups.

The Betting and Gambling Council, which represents the industry, said the “overwhelming majority” of the 22.5m people in the UK who bet each month, do so “safely and responsibly”.

It added the “rate of problem gambling remains low by international standards at 0.3% of the UK’s adult population – down from 0.4% the year previous”.

Former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith is part of the All Party Parliamentary Group on gambling-related harm, which has been lobbying the government for tougher protections.

He said: “At the moment, we are probably the country with the most liberal gambling laws in the world.”

In January, Aston Villa’s fan consultation group met chief executive Christian Purslow after the club was reported to have signed a deal with Asia-based betting firm BK8. It later issued a statement saying “the commercial reality is that to teams outside the top six, such sponsors offer clubs twice as much financially as non-gambling companies”.

The Premier League has previously said “a self-regulatory approach would provide a practical and flexible alternative to legislation or outright prohibition”.

The collective agreement to start the ban after 2025-26 has been reached to assist clubs with their transition away from shirt-front gambling sponsorship.

The English Football League (EFL), which is sponsored by Sky Bet, has previously said any outright gambling sponsorship ban for its 72 members would cost clubs £40m a year.

‘Although this outcome isn’t perfect, it’s a huge step’

According to The Big Step, a campaign to end gambling advertising and sponsorship in football led by people harmed by gambling, just over three years ago nearly 30 clubs in the Premier League and the Championship had a gambling company on the front of their shirt.

“With today’s announcement, we are getting closer to when that will be 0,” said The Big Step in a statement. “It is a significant acceptance of the harm caused by gambling sponsorship.

“But just moving logos to a different part of the kit while allowing pitch-side advertising and league sponsorship to continue is totally incoherent.

“Without government action on all forms of gambling ads in football, at every level, online casinos will exploit any voluntary measures and continue to market their products through our national sport.

“Although this outcome isn’t perfect, it’s a huge step. The government and the sport itself now need to wake up to the reality that gambling ads are unhealthy, unpopular and will be kicked out of football. Delaying that moment is risking the health and lives of another generation of young fans.”

‘Some will question the timescale’

Analysis – BBC football reporter Simon Stone

The Premier League’s move doesn’t take effect until 2026 and some will question that timescale and the fact clubs can sign new front of shirt deals up to that point.

However, the move is to be welcomed because it is adopting a new strategy around a social issue that has started to become increasingly problematic.

As with alcohol, the link between gambling and football will probably always be there. However, as happened with alcohol, it feels increasingly uncomfortable for advertising around gambling to be quite so prominent.

Of course, the Premier League is more able to execute a move like this because its huge TV deals shield the clubs. The English Football League is not in such an advantageous position.