A recent survey conducted by the UK research and data analytics firm YouGov revealed most football fans support the ban on gambling sponsorships on shirt fronts that the English Premier League (EPL) introduced of its volition. The survey involved one thousand participants who were all keen fans of various top-tier teams competing in the league. When asked about their opinions on the ban, as many as 77% of the football fans responded they oppose the idea of sports betting and gambling companies displaying their logos on the shirt fronts of EPL footballers.
Only a minority of 8% spoke against the new measure, while over half of all fans participating in the survey (56%) supported the idea of extending the restrictions so that they cover pitchside gambling marketing as well. As many as 57% of the fans believe that betting firms should be prohibited from sponsoring the naming rights of football leagues and cup competitions. Under the new restrictions, the logos of sponsors from the gambling industry can only appear on the shirt sleeves of the footballers. However, around 42% of the survey participants argued this should be prohibited as well.
These results indicate that most UK fans of the sport consider betting and gambling companies inappropriate sponsors. In fact, as little as 19% of the surveyed football enthusiasts deemed betting firms to be suitable sponsors of the sport. The football fans were also asked about their opinions on sponsors from other industries. Around 60% of the respondents said they considered cryptocurrency companies inappropriate sponsors, while 52% opposed sponsorships from alcohol companies.
Firms from the Telecom and Financial Services Sectors Are Deemed the Most Appropriate Football Sponsors
Half of the fans agreed fast-food brands were inappropriate sponsors of the game. Companies from the telecommunications and financial services sectors garnered the most support from the respondents, with as many as 70% labelling them suitable partners of top-tier football clubs.
The restrictions on shirt-front gambling sponsorships are expected to come into effect at the start of the 2026-2027 season. As many as 18 out of 20 EPL clubs approved the move recently, with the two remaining clubs abstaining from casting their votes. The decision was partially prompted by the clubs’ desire to avoid even stricter restrictions on gambling shirt sponsorships as the country’s government is preparing to soon release a white paper on gambling.
As we previously reported, eight top-tier teams from the league have sponsorship partnerships with betting firms that allow the latter to display their logos on the shirt fronts of the football players. These include Everton, West Ham, Newcastle, Leeds, Southampton, Fulham, Brentford, and Bournemouth. The combined value of these sponsorship deals is estimated at £60 million per year. Two more clubs, namely the Wolverhampton Wanderers and Aston Villa, have secured shirt-sleeve sponsorships with the gambling brands Fun88 and Betfair.
- Author
Daniel Williams
