The English Football League has pledged that it, along with the Premier League, the Football Association (FA), and the Women’s Super League (WSL), will follow a new code of conduct that pertains to the way gambling sponsorships will be handled in British football. This news follows AFC Bournemouth’s announcement that betting company BJ88 will be its front-of-shirt partner during the two upcoming Premier League seasons, something that sparked a new wave of complaints about the numerous Premier League club deals involving betting and casino operators.
Some Principles Aim to Address Children’s Exposure to Gambling Ads
The code of conduct covers a range of principles that will dictate how football organisations shall approach gambling sponsorships, with the first having to do with promotions’ reach. Namely, the organisations have vowed to ensure that each sponsorship will be designed in a way that will avoid exposing children and vulnerable persons to gambling. According to the new rules, sponsorship ads must also contain awareness messages. The last two categories have to do with reinvestment and integrity, with the former concerning the practice of reinvesting gambling sponsorship-sourced funds back into the sport, while the latter aims to ensure that the integrity of football competitions is not marred.
A distinction was also made between how deals tied to clubs, ones associated with competitions, and gambling sponsorships that encompass both are approached. Key pieces of conduct include a commitment to making sure that promotional materials that could be marketed to under-18s contain no gambling-related ads, and gambling sponsorships should also be avoided in stadium areas designated for families with children. Staff kits and clothing should be free of gambling sponsorships as well, according to the rules.
It should also be noted if clubs and competitions follow the code of conduct, both footballers and staff members shall be made aware of the risks associated with gambling addiction and be provided with easily accessible services that aim to prevent or treat gambling harm.
Finally, the document contains information on how individuals can file complaints should they believe a given club or competition has breached any of the principles outlined in the code of conduct.
Reception
Gambling sponsorships have long served as a point of contention when it comes to UK football. While casino and betting companies undoubtedly have the ability to provide a lot of funding that can support the sport financially, the practice has been subject to criticism from fans and anti-gambling advocates alike due to the risks associated with wagering. The situation led to the establishment of The Big Step, a campaign working towards cutting the connection between football and gambling.
As reported by the Guardian, a spokesperson for The Big Step described the latest string of sponsorship agreements signed between football clubs and gambling companies as “Desperate deals for a few extra quid,” highlighting The Big Step’s stance that Premier League clubs choose to ignore the harms and health risks associated with gambling when they accept betting sponsorships.
In addition, The Big Step’s response to the announcement of the new code of conduct was far from positive, and its quote tweet of the Premier League Communications’ post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) read: “There is no such thing as responsible gambling sponsorship.” Fans who expressed their opinions when met with the news via the EFL Communications account on X had similar views, with some calling for a complete ban on gambling sponsorships in football.
- Author
Daniel Williams
