The UK government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport has launched a formal consultation targeting unlicensed gambling sponsors operating across British sports.
The move comes after licensed operators, most notably Entain, expressed growing frustration over the visibility of black market gambling brands in top-flight sport.
Front-of-shirt gambling sponsorships in the Premier League are set to disappear from the 2026/27 season following a voluntary commitment made by a large number of clubs.
Despite that progress, the branding of illegal gambling platforms will still appear on kits to some extent, raising serious concerns among regulators and licensed operators alike.
Everton has provided one prominent example of the issue, moving the logo of Stake, a major unlicensed online casino, to the sleeve of its playing kit.
Gambling sponsorships represent a relatively significant revenue stream for UK sports clubs, but the arrangement becomes problematic when those sponsors are not licensed to serve British customers.
The Gambling Commission licence requirement sits at the heart of the consultation, with the DCMS citing player protection, market integrity, and money-laundering risk as its three principal areas of concern.
The government is now seeking to ban “anyone, including sports clubs and bodies, from entering into a sponsorship or advertising agreement with a gambling provider that is not licensed by the Gambling Commission.”
To enforce this, the DCMS is looking to introduce secondary legislation granting the Secretary of State the power to regulate gambling advertising, subject to Parliamentary approval.
A potential outcome of that legislation would make it a criminal offence to be partnered with an unlicensed operator, with daily financial penalties expected to accompany any breach.
The consultation also points to closer collaboration between the DCMS and broadcasting regulator Ofcom, with a particular focus on illegal gambling advertisements appearing during television and radio broadcasts.
The government has invited stakeholders to submit evidence and feedback on the potential financial impact a sponsorship ban could have on clubs, leagues, and sporting bodies more broadly.
Authorities want to fully understand the consequences for sports funding before any new rules are laid before Parliament, ensuring unforeseen risks are identified and addressed in advance.
Stakeholders have an eight-week window to respond, with the consultation closing on 9 September 2026 ahead of any potential legislative action.
