Key points:
- Amendment sought clubs to consult fans on gambling advertising and sponsorship
- Lord Foster notes fans concerns over gambling advertising and sponsorship
The Football Governance Bill, a government bill which would introduce a new regulatory regime for men’s football in England, has seen a significant development.
An amendment of the bill looked to bring a means by which clubs would have to consult fans on gambling advertising and sponsorship.
This amendment was brought forward by Lord Foster of Bath, Chair of Peers for Gambling Reform, who explained the concerns raised by fans over the level of gambling advertising and sponsorship in sport, aiming to have this addressed in the bill.
Good to know: Premier League clubs in April 2023 voted to ban front-of-shirt gambling sponsorship, which is due to come into effect by the end of the 2025/26 season
Highlighting Lord Foster’s point, an investigation in September revealed that half of the Premier League’s football clubs were not adhering to their own voluntary code of conduct regarding gambling advertisements aimed at or featuring minors, while in June, research from GambleAware found that 73% of football fans are worried about the extent of gambling advertising and sponsorship in sport.
The basis of the amendment looked at gambling being a public health issue meaning a degree of intervention is needed. However, those opposing the amendment gave reasons such as gambling being a personal choice and the importance of gambling sponsorship money for lower-tier clubs as reasons against the amendment.
The debate was not a long one within the UK Parliament, but ultimately it led to Lord Foster withdrawing the amendment, though he did explain his hope that an amendment like this may come in at a later stage and be debated.
