A study conducted by the University of Bristol highlights that gambling advertising continued to be prominently displayed during the opening weekend of the 2026/27 Premier League season, despite the introduction of a voluntary ban on front-of-shirt betting sponsorships for this season. The report identified 15,571 instances of gambling messaging across matches held from August 21 to August 24. While this number represents a 10.5% decrease from previous seasons, researchers pointed out that it is the first season in which Premier League clubs are not allowed to feature a gambling sponsor on their shirts.
Dr. Raffaello Rossi, who led the project, stated, "This cannot be presented as a success for self-regulation." The research team scrutinized all Premier League matches broadcast live in the UK during the opening weekend, as well as 15 hours of Sky Sports News coverage and 15 hours of TalkSport radio content. They also analyzed both organic and paid social media advertisements from the ten major gambling brands that have the largest social media followings.
The results of this study will be presented to the UK parliament on Wednesday. The data reveals that, despite the ban on front-of-shirt sponsorship, exposure to gambling messages has simply shifted to other parts of the matchday experience. The findings indicate that a gambling message was visible for a total of five hours and 16 minutes during live broadcasts, meaning betting advertisements accounted for nearly one-fifth of the total broadcast time.
Pitchside boards were responsible for the majority of this exposure, comprising 72% of all messages during live matches. Additionally, branding on players' sleeves and training attire was recorded at over three times the levels seen in previous seasons. According to Rossi, broadcasts of the Premier League feature more gambling advertisements per game compared to similar broadcasts in Germany, Canada, and the United States.
The digital aspect also showed significant findings. Researchers noted that over 1,000 paid advertisements on platforms like Facebook and Instagram reached an estimated 153.2 million UK accounts, with individuals aged 18 to 24 representing more than 10% of the audience. Alarmingly, the study indicated that 93% of the gambling marketing content was not clearly labelled as advertising.
Peter Shilton, a former England goalkeeper and a longstanding supporter of the research initiative, described the findings as “deeply concerning” due to the potential harm gambling can inflict on individuals and families. He remarked, "When gambling is so visible throughout the game, it risks making betting feel like a normal part of being a football fan or player. We are not at all anti-gambling but believe more needs to be done to reduce the amount of gambling advertising especially around the young."
Sir Iain Duncan Smith, co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Gambling Reform, echoed Shilton's concerns, stating, "These findings are further evidence that the voluntary approach to gambling advertising in football is failing."
