Premier League must ditch unlicensed betting firms immediately, says Entain
Entain, the parent company of betting brands Ladbrokes and Coral, has called on the Premier League to impose an immediate ban on the advertising of gambling firms without UK licences.
The bookmaking giant has urged England top football clubs to halt pitchside advertising of betting companies targeted at overseas gamblers straight away and commit to removing them from all match and training kits from next season.
It comes after the UK government yesterday announced a consultation on proposals to ban unlicensed bookmakers from secondary sponsorship positions such as shirt sleeves.
In an open letter to Premier League CEO Richard Masters, Entain chief Stella David says the matter needs to be dealt with more urgently.
“On Saturday 28 February, Bournemouth host Sunderland in a ‘black market derby’, with both teams sporting gambling sponsors without UK licenses on their shirts,” David writes.
“It exemplifies the rise of black market gambling in the UK, the Premier League’s complicity in it, and the very real harms at stake.
“For that reason, Entain welcomes the Government’s announcement that it will consult on a blanket ban on such advertising. But a consultation will take months to complete, meanwhile clubs will be under pressure to order playing strips for next season.
“The Premier League must therefore act now, banning these operators that target vulnerable UK consumers.”
Premier League clubs have already taken steps to reduce their promotion of betting by agreeing a voluntary ban on all bookmakers as front-of-shirt sponsors from next season.
The top division will be part of the government consultation on gambling operators without a UK licence, which has the backing of Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy.
Premier League told to take lead on betting
Entain argues that these betting firms, while aimed at English football’s huge global audience, can be accessed by UK punters and therefore contribute to illegal gambling.
The company, which also owns the bwin and BetMGM brands, cites research that the black market has more than quadrupled since 2022 and that UK consumers stake £2.7bn a year online with unregulated operators.
David’s letter continues: “Entain has made its choice. We are on the side of sport and sport integrity, on the side of fans, and on the side of a responsible and regulated betting sector.
“We will therefore be calling on DCMS and the Gambling Commission to implement a comprehensive ban in this area as urgently as possible.
“I urge the Premier League to lead by example and do the same, committing to a full ban on all sponsorship and advertising partnerships with illegal gambling operators in the UK, beginning with LED perimeter boards immediately, followed by all clothing from the 2026/2027 season.”
Newcastle United and Fulham were among five football clubs warned by the Gambling Commission last year over sponsorship deals with unlicensed betting company TGP Europe.
TGP Europe, a white-label operator for more than 30 gambling websites including Fun88 and SBOTOP, surrendered its UK licence after being fined £3.3m for breaching regulations.
The clubs affected, who also include Bournemouth, Wolves and Burnley, were told to take steps to ensure no UK consumers bet on the sites or chiefs could face fines, imprisonment or both.
The Premier League has been approached for comment.