The English Premier League (EPL) has many a tie with betting firms, and almost half the sides have shirts decorated with betting sponsors however, there is now a ban on gambling sponsors in the UK
But this is said to be ending soon, if the rumour mill is right.
English Premier League Teams Affected by New Gambling Companies Ban In The UK
The Premier League and Gambling Sponsors
Every team in the top flight of English football, the biggest league in the world, has an array of sponsors paying substantial sums for association with massive clubs. A broad range of firms sponsor Premiership sides and one of the most consistent are gambling outfits. These bookies and casinos have a natural interest in backing football clubs, as betting on soccer is so popular in the United Kingdom there are literally hundreds of markets on each and every Premiership match.
This has led to a proliferation of betting advertisements during halftime commercial breaks, in addition to many a shirt emblazoned with a betting firm’s name. Clubs have benefited significantly from the sizeable sums splashed out by gambling firms, but the honeymoon might just be over.
And it’s not just through sponsorship that betting has had a profound influence on the EPL. One club, Brentford, is owned by a man who made millions leading his own sports betting syndicate.
Football and Betting
The plethora of possible markets when betting on football, and the fact soccer is a leading topic of debate and argument, means plenty of football fans are also keen sports bettors. Not only that, but most sportsbooks these days come with a casino wing, which is perfect for when you fancy a little wager but there’s no match on. Players wanting to find a great place to play should consider casting their eye over these popular and reputable casino sites to find enticing welcome bonuses, a wide selection of both newfangled slots and old school table games, and sites with reliable reputations and trustworthy licensing arrangements.
The Rumoured Shirt Sponsor Change
At the time of writing, the potential change has not been confirmed and is just a rumour. That said, it’s a rumour with a capital R, and it would be quite the shock if it didn’t end up coming to pass. The alleged plan is for the Government to ban gambling firms from sponsoring the front of football shirts from 2023 onwards (or possibly later). This would affect the Premier League, in addition to lower tiers of English football (although the EPL and Championship are the predominant areas of interest for betting firms so the impact lower down the football pyramid will be more limited).
Gambling advertisements during games have also drawn significant criticism and may be curtailed in a separate move as part of the Government’s consultation on the Gambling Act 2005 (a review looking at various other aspects of betting laws in the UK). Cutting or limiting adverts is thought to be less likely than the nigh on certain shirt sponsor ban, however, as in this instance clubs lower down the financial pecking order would be dramatically and adversely affected.
It is thought that the legislative processes required mean that 2023 would be the earliest possible date of a shirt sponsor ban, although it could come in later if the ban is phased in.
Who Is Affected?
Almost half the Premiership, to be blunt. Out of 20 teams, nine currently have a betting firm on the front of their shirt, which shows how close the gambling industry and EPL have become. In addition to this, the whole EPL have some kind of sponsorship with a betting firm, as do 15 sides in the Championship (England’s second tier of football). It’s unlikely that there will be a total ban on any kind of sponsorship, though, with shirt sponsorship thought to be the only thing likely to be axed in the near future.
Beyond sports firms, gambling companies are the leading kit sponsors in the Premiership, sponsoring as many shirts as financial services, airlines, automotive, software, and telecommunications firms combined. An interesting quirk, given that almost half the EPL has a gambling shirt sponsor, is that none of the top half dozen teams do so. That being said, every team in the top flight has some sort of sponsorship with a betting firm. In addition, OB.com is the sleeve sponsor for Aston Villa (but is the only sleeve sponsor of a gambling nature).
At the time of writing, the nine Premiership sides with gambling firm shirt sponsors include Newcastle, Leeds, Burnley, Brentford, Crystal Palace, Southampton, Watford, West Ham, and Wolves. Obviously, this number will drop to zero in 2023 should the predicted ban come to pass, which would potentially cause a little financial difficulty.
Premiership sides do have plenty of attraction for sponsors, but the fact that the biggest clubs opted not to have betting firms on the shirts does suggest the financial considerations were more of a factor for the nine named clubs. (Though Newcastle will not be worried, ever since they controversially became owned by a consortium led by the Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund and thus the richest club in the world).
The world waits to see just how far the Government goes, and whether the mooted shirt betting sponsor ban is the only measure enacted.
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