Premier League clubs have announced that they will vote today, Thursday, on a voluntary ban on bookmaker sponsorships on the front of team shirts, which are now valued at a total of £52 million ($65 million ).
Eight Premier League clubs have betting companies as their main shirt sponsors, with Everton (Stake) and West Ham (Betway) having the most significant deals at £10m per season.
The plan is expected to be approved by league shareholders, with the agreement that gambling companies can serve as sleeve sponsors. By doing this, the government is avoiding passing legislation banning all betting advertising.
Clubs would have three years to renegotiate contracts with bookmakers before the ban takes effect at the start of the 2026-27 season. The value of shirt sponsorship deals for non-league ‘elite’ clubs could be further reduced if companies in the sector are knocked out of the market.
Christian Purslow, chief executive of Aston Villa, said: “The commercial reality is that for teams outside the ‘elite’ of European football, these sponsors offer twice as much financially as non-industry companies.”
Furthermore, Newcastle switched sponsorship from Wonga to Fun888 in 2017, which netted almost £1m more a year, but the team are planning to cut ties with the operator this year in light of a new Middle East sponsor. .
Meanwhile, according to Caytoo’s research, front-of-shirt betting sponsorships made a “mini comeback” in August 2022 after an absence. Despite the Premier League considering a ban, among England’s 226 professional football, cricket and rugby teams, the iGaming sector saw the third biggest increase in front sponsorship deals.
