Two Premier League clubs are scrambling to find a new main shirt sponsor just three weeks before the 2026/27 season gets underway.
Sunderland AFC and Nottingham Forest FC both previously held front-of-shirt gambling sponsorship deals, but neither has secured a replacement as the new ban comes into effect.
The front-of-shirt gambling sponsorship ban has been introduced for the 2026/27 Premier League season, forcing clubs to seek commercial partners from outside the gambling industry.
W88, an operator without a UK licence, had its logo on the front of Sunderland’s shirts throughout the 2025/26 campaign, giving the club significant exposure in that space.
Nottingham Forest, meanwhile, held a deal with Bally’s, a US-headquartered and UK-licensed gambling operator, which also cannot continue under the new sponsorship rules.
The Sunderland Echo reported this week that, despite circulating rumours suggesting no deal would be completed, the Black Cats are expected to secure a front-of-shirt agreement for next season.
Sunderland’s appeal to potential sponsors has grown considerably after the club secured European football despite being newly promoted to the top flight last season.
The club will compete in the UEFA Europa League in 2026/27, providing their yet-to-be-confirmed sponsor with significant additional exposure across the continent.
Many gambling firms have responded to the Premier League ban by redirecting their sponsorship budgets further down the football pyramid, with the EFL Championship set to feature a high volume of front-of-shirt gambling deals this season.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is currently consulting on a potential complete sponsorship ban for unlicensed UK operators, a move that many within the licensed sector have been pushing for over a longer period.
The ongoing situation at both clubs highlights the significant financial gap left behind by the departure of gambling sponsors, who would typically pay a considerable premium for front-of-shirt placement.
Sean Connell, editor of The Sponsor, told Mirror Football: “It’s an incredibly competitive sponsorship market.”
Clubs are widely believed to be holding out for comparable financial terms from businesses operating in non-gambling industries, which has made finding suitable replacements more difficult and time-consuming.
