Premier League Escapes UK Gambling Sponsorship Ban

The Times has reported plans to ban Premier League clubs from having betting firms as shirt sponsors are being dropped by the UK government and will reach a voluntary agreement between clubs.

Revoking initial plans to prevent betting companies from leveraging team official kits and stadiums for advertising campaigns, a prospected ban was reported to be in full effect come the 2023 season.

With nearly half of Premier League teams sponsored by gambling companies, the news comes after a public push to crack down on under-18 gambling enticement.

In December 2020, the UK department for digital, culture, media and sport launched a review of the Gambling Act, with resultant conversations surrounding the fusion of gambling and sports.

In June, Everton FC signed a shirt sponsorship with stake.com which was met with public scrutiny after a petition received 20,000 signatures to stop the sponsorship.

In April 2022, the decision by the UK’s committee of advertising practice (CAP) to prevent athletes and social media influencers from leveraging betting advertisements continues for a 1 October implementation.

The Daily Mail reported gambling sponsorship deals were valued at a combined US$122 million (AUD$177 million) across English soccer’s topflight and second tier championship during 2021/2022.