Potential Ban on Unlicensed Gambling Sponsors in Premier League
Unlicensed gambling companies may soon be prohibited from sponsoring Premier League football clubs following a series of controversies involving pornographic content, lapses in anti-money laundering compliance, and concerns about connections to organised crime.
Currently, the shirts worn by players of several prominent English football teams, including Everton, Fulham, and Wolverhampton Wanderers, display logos of unlicensed online casinos or bookmakers.
Premier League clubs have voluntarily agreed not to feature gambling sponsors on the front of their shirts starting from the end of this season, including those associated with major operators holding a licence.
However, this voluntary restriction does not extend to shirt sleeves or other commercial partnerships.
This situation allows gambling companies without a British licence to continue associating themselves with the Premier League's popularity, provided they commit not to offer their services to consumers in the UK.
On Monday, the government announced it is consulting on a complete ban on unlicensed operators, a policy previously considered by the former administration.
Ministers expressed concerns that some unlicensed operators function under weak regulatory frameworks that fail to protect vulnerable gamblers and highlighted links between certain operators and organised crime.
Lisa Nandy, the culture secretary, said: “It’s not right that unlicensed gambling operators can sponsor some of our biggest football clubs, raising their profile and potentially drawing fans towards sites that don’t meet our regulatory standards.”
Controversial Sponsorship Deals and Regulatory Issues
Everton’s partnership with Stake.com, reportedly valued at £10 million annually, stands out as one of the most contentious agreements between a Premier League club and an unlicensed operator.
Stake came under scrutiny in 2022 while it still held a British licence, after revealed the use of a payment method prohibited by UK regulators.
The company was subsequently reprimanded for a promotion offering a $10 free bet to anyone wagering $5,000 within a week, amid concerns related to problem gambling.
Following an investigation by the Gambling Commission into Stake’s social media promotions, including a stunt involving the pornographic content creator Bonnie Blue attempting to engage in sexual activity with "barely legal 18-year-olds" in their first year at Nottingham Trent University, Stake ceased the promotion.
Despite these issues, Stake continues to sponsor Everton.
Several operators, including Stake, maintained their licences through the Isle of Man-based "white label" provider TGP Europe, which served as a gateway for gambling firms targeting overseas customers to secure UK sponsorship deals.
TGP exited the British market earlier this year after the Gambling Commission fined the company £3.3 million for inadequate due diligence on business partners and breaches of anti-money laundering regulations.
TGP facilitated sponsorships for several Premier League clubs, including Wolves (Debet), Fulham (Sbotop), and Burnley (96.com).
With TGP’s withdrawal, none of these companies currently hold a licence to operate in Great Britain. It should be noted that Northern Ireland is regulated separately.
A total ban on overseas gambling sponsors would prevent these companies from pursuing sleeve sponsorships or other commercial partnerships, which would otherwise remain permissible despite the upcoming front-of-shirt ban next season.
