PDC world number 10 Stephen Bunting is facing questions over his commercial partnerships after publicly revealing a serious personal struggle with gambling addiction.
Bunting spoke candidly to The Guardian about how betting activities led him into £90,000 worth of debt, prompting scrutiny of his existing sponsorship arrangements.
Following his return to the PDC Premier League in 2025, Bunting signed a partnership with prize draw company Stealth Competitions in February of that year.
The agreement covered the Premier League season and subsequent activities, with Stealth Competitions appearing on the front of Bunting’s shirt as recently as the 2026 World Darts Championship in December.
Stealth Competitions no longer features on Bunting’s shirt, with Diamond Draws Competitions now holding an active brand partnership with the darts star.
The Diamond Draws deal included a promotion offering new customers 50% off their first order using the code BUNTING50, subject to a maximum spend of £100.
Bunting’s shirt has also displayed logos from Betfred, BetMGM, bet365, and Paddy Power through various competition title sponsorships over the course of his career.
Critics and gambling harm charities are increasingly concerned that players are using prize draw sites in exactly the same way they would use traditional gambling platforms.
A total of 189 operators have signed the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s Voluntary Code of Conduct for Prize Draw Operators in response to those growing concerns.
UK law does not currently classify prize draw operators as gambling businesses, though their services remain restricted to UK residents aged 18 or over.
The situation draws parallels with Everton FC player Martin Sherif, who was charged by the Football Association for allegedly placing 61 bets on football matches between 20 November 2024 and 12 February 2026.
Throughout that entire period, Everton maintained a front-of-shirt sponsorship deal with illegal gambling operator Stake, adding a further layer of controversy to the broader issue.
Everton still holds a shirt sleeve deal with Stake, meaning Sherif would likely continue sporting the operator’s logo should he return to the club this season.
Together, both cases highlight the complex and often contradictory relationship between professional sport, gambling sponsorship, and athlete welfare across British sports.
