DCMS consultation would make sponsorship deals with unlicensed gambling operators a criminal offence, threatening Everton, Chelsea and F1 arrangements
The UK’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) opened an eight-week consultation on 15 July on banning unlicensed gambling operators from sponsoring British sport. Ministers confirmed the plans, first reported by The Guardian on 12 July, and set a response deadline of 9 September.
Secondary legislation would make it a criminal offence for any club or governing body to hold a sponsorship or advertising agreement with a gambling operator that does not hold a Gambling Commission licence, DCMS said. The department proposed a financial penalty for each day of breach.
Gambling minister Baroness Twycross said the ban would target “any physical forms or manifestations of advertising or sponsorship”, covering kit and equipment, pitchside billboards, tournament programmes, venue infrastructure, and the naming of events, leagues and venues. She said it would extend beyond sport to stop other sectors becoming an alternative route for unlicensed brands.
DCMS cited three grounds: protecting consumers, particularly young and vulnerable people; defending the integrity of the licensed market; and reducing money-laundering risk. The department said UK consumers were reaching unlicensed sites through virtual private networks after seeing advertising tied to football.
The ban would not cover online sponsorship, which DCMS said would require primary legislation. White-label agreements that comply with the Gambling Commission‘s Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice would not be affected at this stage. The measure could take effect from August 2027, ahead of the 2027/28 season, and no later than August 2028.
Everton faces early exit from Stake deal
Everton signed a three-year sleeve sponsorship with Stake.com in June, worth at least £10m according to the Guardian, running to the end of the 2028/29 season. Stake lost its UK licence in early 2025 after enforcement action against white-label operator TGP Europe.
The club stands to lose at least one year of the contract if the ban takes effect in 2027. Everton agreed the deal after the government suggested in February that it was considering restrictions.
Chelsea and Ipswich Town carry deals with 8Xbet, and Fulham with SBOTOP, neither operator licensed in Great Britain. Clubs lower down the football pyramid hold similar arrangements. The proposed ban is separate from the Premier League‘s voluntary decision to drop front-of-shirt gambling sponsors from the 2026/27 season.
Licensed operators press for faster action against unlicensed gambling sponsors
Entain welcomed the consultation and urged the Premier League and other bodies to introduce an immediate voluntary ban, starting with LED perimeter boards, before the 2026/27 season.
CEO Stella David said clubs should end relationships with unlicensed operators rather than wait for legislation. The Betting and Gaming Council backed the consultation and also called for action without delay.
Entain cited research from consultancy H2GC showing the illegal gambling market’s turnover grew from £5bn to £16.6bn between 2019 and 2025, with a forecast to double by 2028.
No wrongdoing has been alleged against any of the operators named.
