The Football Governance Bill, which seeks to independently regulate football in the UK, has gained approval by the House of Lords.
The government-backed legislation must now secure approval from the House of Commons before it becomes law, bringing with it a number of major changes for English football including the creation of an Independent Football Regulator.
Notably though, some amendments were proposed to the bill which would go beyond governance and finance and impact club commercial deals with betting firms. These were ultimately not adopted, with the final one of four being rejected on Monday.
Lord Addington suggested that “football might be one place we could do without” betting sponsorship and marketing, proposing that the potential Independent Football Regulator must enforce a duty that “English football must not promote or engage in advertising or sponsorship related to gambling”.
Despite this, Lord Addington’s proposal was rejected, alongside other amendments. However, he did receive some support from Baroness Taylor, who raised an issue with “some of the tactics used by gambling companies to suck people into becoming addicted”.
Football’s relationship with gambling operators has often been one of the more lucrative commercial dealings for both parties. Discussions arose in recent years regarding the negative impact of gambling’s perceived overexposure within the sport.
The 2023 UK Gambling White Paper addressed these concerns more broadly, introducing a Code of Conduct covering the various sponsorship and marketing deals between clubs and betting firms.
A necessary regulator?
The Premier League, England’s most widely watched and valuable tournament, had already made its own moves in this area. In a bid to address concerns, Premier League clubs agreed for an outright ban on gambling front-of-shirt sponsorships, which will take effect at the start of the 2026/27 season.
A number of counter-arguments have also been raised over the years too though. It has often been argued that a complete ban on gambling sponsorship within English football would have had a negative impact on the English Football League (EFL) in particular.
The football organisation is in the midst of a renewed five-year title sponsorship agreement with Sky Bet until the end of the 2028/29 season, a lucrative deal that helps support lower league clubs across England.
EFL Chairman Rick Parry has been one of the strongest supporters for the Football Governance Bill and the Independent Football Regulator. This may stem from a failed support package from the Premier League and a lack of support for lower league clubs and grassroots football overall.
Commenting on the Bill, Parry alluded that the Bill may come into force as early as this summer. He also revealed that parachute payments to relegated clubs from the Premier League will remain intact.
He said: “This is a massive point for football. Getting it out as soon as possible is a game-changer. We all need to recognise football is not doing a great job of self-regulation. Could it be law by June or July? It is possible.”
