The UK government is taking steps to ban sponsorship and advertising from unlicensed gambling operators, extending these restrictions to include non-sporting partnerships.
On Wednesday, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) announced that a second consultation is underway, following an initial review conducted in February. According to the department's latest update, it plans to implement this ban by August 2027.
The consultation aims to use secondary legislation under the Gambling Act 2005 to criminalize the promotion of unlicensed gambling operators across Great Britain. This move would impact clubs, leagues, events, venues, and any entities displaying such advertising or sponsorship.
Legal experts have indicated that white-label partnerships may be exempt from these restrictions. A lawyer mentioned in March, "the white label model isn’t affected by that because you have got someone who is legitimately taking money from British consumers in a compliant way."
Input from a variety of stakeholders, including representatives from professional sports and the gambling industry, is sought in this consultation. The initial consultation confirmed that teams were not acting unlawfully by maintaining sponsorships with unlicensed operators, but this is expected to change under the new proposals.
The DCMS's plans include prohibiting physical advertising assets such as pitch-side hoardings, tournament programmes, kit sponsorships, and venue infrastructure naming rights. The government emphasized that the ban would apply across all sectors to prevent unlicensed operators from simply shifting their advertising efforts to venues like music events or cultural festivals.
However, the current consultation does not propose to extend the ban to online or broadcast advertising, which would require primary legislation.
The reform is motivated largely by events surrounding the May 2025 collapse of TGP Europe, a former Gambling Commission license holder. TGP provided white-label services for various overseas betting brands associated with Premier League and Championship clubs. Following its failure to conduct appropriate checks on business partners and breaches of anti-money laundering regulations, TGP incurred a £3.3 million penalty and resigned its license, raising concerns about up to 29 associated brands' sponsorships.
Consumer protection remains a central objective of the proposed ban, along with promoting market integrity and combating money laundering. Investigations have identified ties between some overseas gambling sponsors and criminal organizations. The Financial Conduct Authority has also warned clubs against engaging with unauthorized firms, including certain cryptocurrency exchanges, due to potential risks.
Two timelines for implementation have been proposed. The preferred option is a fixed date in August 2027, before the start of the 2027/28 football season, requiring all advertising and sponsorship from unlicensed operators to cease by then. Alternatively, contracts could be allowed to run until their expiration, with a final cut-off by August 2028 for pre-existing deals.
Officials are aware of the possible financial implications for clubs, especially smaller teams that depend on revenues from gambling sponsorships. The DCMS is actively gathering evidence from clubs, leagues, and other stakeholders about existing contractual obligations and potential commercial disruptions.
Estimates suggest that around 40% of Premier League clubs had sponsorship or advertising agreements with unlicensed operators during the 2025/26 season. This potential ban aligns with the Premier League's voluntary prohibition on front-of-shirt gambling sponsorships, effective from the 2026/27 season, which could lead to an estimated revenue loss of £80 million for the teams involved.
In May, Entain, a tier one operator, urged the Independent Football Regulator (IFR) to prevent clubs from partnering with operators lacking UK licenses. The company welcomed the government's consultation, with CEO Stella David stating, "The government has rightly recognised that these sponsorship arrangements create risks for consumers and for sport." She added, "the government has correctly identified the risks associated with unlicensed gambling sponsorship in sport, yet many of these same operators continue to reach consumers through online channels."
The consultation remains open for submissions until September 9, allowing for feedback before the government reviews responses and finalizes its regulatory approach later this year.
