May 2026 marks an end of an era for gambling companies, who have had a great run over the last nearly couple of decades for sponsoring the front of football club kits in the English Premier League.
This was a voluntary move that was agreed by all 20 Premier League clubs as a way of attempting to get ahead of the UK Government’s “white paper” reforms, choosing a phased exit rather than a legal mandate.
The Countdown And Why The 2025/26 Season Is The Last One
While this move hasn’t been enforced, this was agreed to by the Premier League clubs to pre-empt harsher legislation and could well have a positive effect, with gambling addiction understood to be considerably widespread across the UK; especially given the strong affinity with football.
Despite this self-imposed ban being on the horizon, this season started with 11 Premier League clubs, including West Ham United, Everton and Aston Villa with front of shirt gambling sponsors.
| Season | Number of Clubs with Front of Shirt Gambling Sponsors | % Of The League |
|---|---|---|
| 2002/03 | 1 | 5 |
| 2010/11 | 7 | 35 |
| 2016/17 | 10 | 50 |
| 2019/20 | 10 | 50 |
| 2022/23 | 8 | 40 |
| 2024/25 | 11 | 55 |
| 2025/26 | 11 | 55 |
Typically gambling firms usually pay a 30-40 percent premium over companies in other high-end industries such as fintech and for a club that finishes in the bottom half of the Premier League consistently, this can make a considerable difference.
We are delighted to confirm Bally’s, one of the world’s leading entertainment companies, as the Club’s new Front of Shirt Partner. 🙌
— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) August 5, 2025
With this coming into place soon, clubs such as Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest signed short-term “bridge” deals this season until the deadline in order to extract as much value as possible before the deadline.
Where Money Could Be Going
With front of shirt “real estate” no longer being a possibility after May 2026, we could well see a bidding war for sleeve sponsorship, while training kits could become the next frontier for gambling firms, with these being exempt from the ‘ban’.
We could also see gambling firms expanding to other areas of a football club entity, assuming there are no bans that are imposed by the UK Government that prevents this from happening.
LED pitch side hoardings and digital display backdrop for post-match interviews might become the new, prime areas for even more advertising opportunities for gambling companies who may look to take advantage of this while they are still able to.
A Widening Of The Wealth Gap
Top six clubs such as Manchester City rarely use gambling firms of sponsors, mainly because they do not need to; firms in other industries will pay them a premium (as much as or if not more than gambling companies) anyway to be associated with their ‘brand’, while they make considerable amounts of revenue from global television rights and merchandising, as well as gate receipts and corporate hospitality.
The loss in gambling sponsorship could result in a considerable wealth gap of £100 million between the top six clubs and the remaining 14 in the Premier League, arguably reducing the competitive landscape.