A recent study from the University of Bristol has revealed that gambling advertisements remain prevalent in the Premier League, even following this season's voluntary ban on front-of-shirt betting sponsorship. The report noted that 15,571 gambling messages were recorded during the opening weekend of the 2026/27 Premier League season, reflecting only a 10.5% decrease in exposure.
This season marks the first time Premier League clubs have been prohibited from displaying gambling sponsors on the front of their shirts as part of the new campaign. Dr. Raffaello Rossi, the study's project lead, expressed concern, stating, "This cannot be presented as a success for self-regulation."
Researchers examined all matches broadcast live in the UK from August 21 to 24, along with 15 hours of coverage from Sky Sports News and TalkSport radio. They also evaluated advertising efforts on social media by the ten major gambling brands with the largest followings.
The findings, which will be presented to the UK parliament on Wednesday, suggest that despite the ban, gambling messages have simply been redirected within the matchday environment. The study indicated that a gambling advertisement was visible for a total of five hours and 16 minutes during live broadcasts, with nearly one-fifth of the broadcast time taken up by such marketing efforts. Notably, pitchside advertising contributed 72% of the total messages seen during live matches, and branding on sleeves and training gear exceeded previous years by over three times.
Rossi noted that compared to broadcasts in Germany, Canada, and the United States, Premier League matches feature a higher density of gambling messages per game.
Digital marketing also posed a significant issue. The report revealed over 1,000 paid advertisements on platforms like Facebook and Instagram, reaching approximately 153.2 million accounts in the UK, with individuals aged 18 to 24 representing more than 10% of this audience. Alarmingly, 93% of the identified gambling advertising content was not clearly labeled as advertising.
Peter Shilton, the former England goalkeeper and a longstanding supporter of the research project, expressed his deep concerns regarding these results, considering the potential harm gambling poses to individuals and families. He stated, "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 this sentiment, emphasizing that the findings highlight the failing nature of the voluntary approach to gambling advertising in football.
