Unlicensed betting firms face ban on sponsoring British sports teams

Gambling firms not licensed in the UK could be banned from sponsoring sports teams – including Premier League clubs – as part of a government crackdown.

Ministers say they are worried about the risks stemming from the unlicensed market, such as companies not following laws and guidelines aimed at protecting customers.

These include mandatory financial vulnerability checks and responsible advertising.

The government also warns a lack of data protection measures can leave people open to fraud and identity theft and that unlicensed betting has been linked to organised crime.

A consultation into the prosposals will be launched this spring.

Last year, several clubs were warned by the Gambling Commission over their relationship with unlicensed TGP Europe.

Premier League Bournemouth, Fulham, Newcastle and Wolves, as well as then-Championship Burnley, were all sponsored by betting websites run by the firm, which had surrendered its British licence after an investigation found it failed to “carry out sufficient checks on business partners” and breached “anti-money laundering rules”.

Announcing the forthcoming consultation, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said people placing bets “deserve to know the sites they’re using are properly regulated, with the right protections in place”.

She added: “It’s not right that unlicensed gambling operators can sponsor some of our biggest football clubs, raising their profile and potentially drawing fans towards sites that don’t meet our regulatory standards.”

In a post on social media site X, the Betting and Gaming Council backed the government’s plan, writing: “It’s not right that gambling companies without a UK licence can sponsor Premier League clubs.

Premier League clubs have previously collectively agreed to withdraw gambling sponsorship from the front of their matchday shirts by the end of this season.

However, sleeve sponsorship can still carry gambling branding, including that of unlicensed firms, and the government warns that can give non-regulated companies “a major presence in the country’s most-watched sports league”.

Ministers argue there is a “strong case for stopping unlicensed sponsorship altogether given the brand visibility could drive consumers towards unlicensed sites operating outside the Gambling Commission’s regulatory protections”.

The commission estimates up to 1.4 million adults in the UK have a gambling problem.