The UK’s sports organisations have unveiled new codes of sponsorship that are “socially-responsible”.

The Premier League, English Football League(EFL), FA, and Women’s Super League all agreed to formally adopt a code that will cover gambling sponsorships in English Football, according to the April Gambling White Paper of the government.

Codes will come into effect at the beginning of 2024-25, and they focus on protecting consumers and their rights as well as social responsibility.

The football bodies stated in a statement that they wanted to make sure sponsorships were delivered responsibly. The aim is to keep children out of the loop and to protect those who are at high risk from gambling-related harm.

Four general principles are explained

Under the “protection” guideline of the football code, sponsorship agreements must not promote to groups that are vulnerable, such as children.

In terms of social responsibility, sponsorships for gambling must be delivered and promoted in an ethical manner via messages that promote education and social awareness.

Reinvesting the income from sponsorships of gambling must include infrastructure and programs that benefit football fans, communities and clubs.

The bodies also agreed that deals “must not compromise the integrity of the football competitions or harm those who participate in them”

The Premier League agreed last year to remove gambling sponsorships from matchday shirts by the end of 2025-2026.

Race to track compliance

The BHA also said that it will work closely with DCMS to ensure compliance with the code. After a year, a review will take place to identify any problems that have been identified during the implementation.

The BHA stated in a press release that the code was designed to guarantee minimum standards of social responsibility.

When entering sponsorship agreements with betting companies, racecourses or horseracing participants are asked to adhere to the general four principles in the sports sponsorship gambling code.