Suspending gambling operators from being shirt sponsors of professional football clubs is one of the most logical things for the competent authorities to do within the scope of the new Gambling Act, according to Carolyn Harris MP. For her, changing the law in this area is an obvious thing to do and local lawmakers need to tackle the matter as soon as possible.
Ms Harris, who currently heads an all-party parliamentary group aimed at tackling gambling-related harm in the country, has shared that a new Gambling Act is set to make gambling operators’ shirt sponsorships illegal as soon as it is passed by British lawmakers this autumn or at the beginning of 2021.
For the time being, half of the English Premier League (EPL) clubs are being sponsored by gambling companies, while the number of gambling sponsorship deals in the Championship is even larger – 17 out of 24 clubs there have bookmakers as sponsors. However, some anti-gambling campaigners have signalled that the sponsorships between professional football clubs and bookmakers may create a wrong idea that normalises gambling in sport.
Earlier in July, a House of Lords select committee recommended for the UK authorities to ban sponsorship agreements to be signed between gambling companies and professional football clubs, but it members realise that the process may take quite some time before becoming reality. The select committee has also highlighted some financial reasons because of which the ban should not come into effect below the Premier League before 2023.
Gambling Sponsorships in Football Could Create the Wrong Impression in Underage Individuals, Campaigners Say
Many EPL football clubs have shared fears that the coronavirus pandemic has made them face certain financial difficulties because of the Covid-19 lockdown. However, according to Carolyn Harris, they need to become less reliant on sponsorships from gambling companies.
Ms Harris said that in her opinion, the UK Government has to invest more efforts to provide financial support to professional football clubs. She believes that she must for something that is more family-friendly instead of encouraging such sponsorship agreements that could make gambling look normal and, eventually, cause an increase in the country’s problem gambling rates. The chair of the all-party parliamentary group explained that sending the right message was really important, especially considering the fact that sports are considered a family environment.
Ms Harris appears to be more concerned not by the fact that the appearance of gambling company logos on football shirts could make gambling look normal to underage individuals. According to her, a subconscious link is created and children’s loyalty is the thing gambling operators are really fighting for. She explained that children tend to see gambling as part of being loyal to their favourite football club. Apart from that, games such as FIFA 2020 fully replicate reality, including gambling logos on football clubs’ shirts, which makes the association between football and gambling even stronger for underage individuals.
- Author
Olivia Cole
