Unlicensed gambling companies could lose the right to sponsor Premier League clubs under new government plans. Ministers launched a consultation after a series of controversies and regulatory concerns.
Several top-flight teams, including Everton, Fulham and Wolverhampton Wanderers, currently display logos of online casinos or bookmakers without British licences. Clubs have already agreed to remove all front-of-shirt gambling sponsors from next season. The voluntary ban will not cover shirt sleeves or other partnerships.
The proposed measure would close that gap. It would block unlicensed operators from any commercial deals with clubs. Ministers warned that some of these firms follow weak regulatory standards and expose vulnerable gamblers to harm. They also raised concerns about possible links to organised crime.
Culture secretary Lisa Nandy said the current situation allows unlicensed companies to boost their profile through English football. She argued that fans could be drawn toward sites that do not meet UK safety rules.
Everton’s agreement with Stake.com has drawn the strongest criticism. The deal reportedly brings in £10m per year. Investigations previously showed that customers could use cryptocurrency to place bets when the company still held a UK licence. The club later told the firm to remove its branding from a high-value betting promotion.
Stake surrendered its British licence last year after further scrutiny of its marketing activity. Despite that decision, it continues to sponsor Everton.
Several other sponsors entered the market through the Isle of Man-based provider TGP Europe. The Gambling Commission fined the company £3.3m for anti-money-laundering failures and poor checks on partners. TGP then withdrew from the British market.
Its exit left multiple Premier League sponsors without licences to operate in Great Britain. A full ban would prevent those firms from shifting to sleeve sponsorships or other commercial links once the front-of-shirt restriction begins.
