Premier League clubs set to vote on voluntary ban of gambling sponsors

The Premier League’s clubs have announced that they will vote on a voluntary ban on front-of-shirt (FoS) gambling sponsors, which are now valued at a total of £52m ($65m), on Thursday.

Eight clubs in the Premier League have betting companies as their primary shirt sponsors, with Everton (Stake) and West Ham (Betway) having the most significant deals at £10m each season.

It is anticipated that the plan will be approved by the league’s shareholders with the agreement being that gambling companies are allowed to serve as sleeve sponsors. By doing this, the government is avoiding passing legislation that would outlaw all gambling advertising.

Clubs would have three years to renegotiate contracts with non-betting sponsors before the ban would take effect at the beginning of the 2026–27 season.

The value of shirt sponsorship deals for clubs outside the elite could be further reduced if gambling companies are eliminated from the market.

Christian Purslow, Aston Villa’s chief executive, said: “The commercial reality is that to teams outside the top six, such sponsors offer clubs twice as much financially as non-gambling companies.”

Furthermore, Newcastle shifted from Wonga to Fun888 in 2017 when they offered almost £1m more annually, but the team is reportedly planning to sever ties with the gaming provider this summer in favour of a Middle Eastern sponsor.

Meanwhile, according to Caytoo’s research, front-of-shirt betting sponsorships made a “mini comeback” in August 2022 following an absence.

Despite the Premier League considering a ban, among England’s 226 professional football, cricket, and rugby teams, gambling had the third-highest increase in FoS deals.