Beginning next year, sports teams in the UK could face a prohibition on sponsorship deals with unlicensed gambling operators, a development that raises monetary concerns for top-flight football sides like Everton FC and sports such as Formula One.
Proposals for the restriction, first reported by a news organization on Sunday and officially verified by the government on Wednesday, are designed to shield at-risk individuals and lessen the chance of sport being exploited by criminal networks for money laundering.
Ministers have begun an eight-week consultation to gather feedback on the plans, which might result in a ban taking effect as early as August 2027, applying to branding on uniforms, stadium facilities and advertising boards around the pitch.
Current regulations permit sports organizations to take sponsorship from gambling firms that lack a Gambling Commission licence, provided those companies do not take wagers from customers in Britain.
However, officials expressed worry that individuals in the UK were reaching unregulated platforms through “virtual private networks” after being drawn in by promotions tied to football.
If the new measures are adopted, commercial arrangements that are presently allowed would become illegal.
An example is the sleeve sponsorship agreement struck in June between Everton FC and its established associate Stake.com, a cryptocurrency-based casino that does not hold a licence to operate for consumers in Great Britain.
Everton moved forward with the deal, believed to be valued at a minimum of £10m, even though the government cautioned in February that it was examining a clampdown.
The club is now looking at the possibility of having to terminate the contract partway through a three-year arrangement that is due to finish at the close of the 2028-29 campaign.
Stake.com has also formerly backed the Sauber Formula One outfit. Picture: Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images
The administration stated its prohibition would be enforced no later than August 2028 and perhaps twelve months sooner, indicating the club stands to forfeit a minimum of one year of the deal.
“Our assessment is that, while the majority of sectors and sports will see no change, certain sports or clubs will feel an effect,” gambling minister Fiona Twycross remarked.
The suggested restriction is distinct from a choice by Premier League clubs to voluntarily stop displaying gambling promotions on the front of match-day shirts starting with the 2026-27 season.
Everton, whose notable backers include Andy Burnham, an outspoken critic of the gambling sector and the probable next prime minister, is not the only sporting organization that might be impacted by the government’s proposals.
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Premier League clubs with an unlicensed gambling associate include Chelsea, Ipswich (both 8Xbet) and Fulham (SBOTOP), while a number of clubs lower in the football league system maintain similar agreements.
Formula One racing could also see consequences. Stake.com has previously backed the Sauber team. Any comparable agreements signed in the future might compel teams to strip a gambling sponsor’s markings for the British Grand Prix.
The World Snooker Tour is partnered with Sportsbet.io, which likewise lacks a licence for operations in Great Britain.
The planned restriction does not extend to online collaborations, which would need separate legal measures, though the government indicated it would examine that step if needed.
There is no implication of misconduct by any of the betting firms named.
This outlet has approached Everton FC, Chelsea FC, Ipswich Town FC, Fulham FC, Formula One, the World Snooker Tour, 8Xbet, Stake.com, SBOTOP and Sportsbet.io for responses.
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