The front-of-shirt ban on gambling sponsors in the Premier League is effective from 2026/27.
Planned way back in April 2023, the intention was to reduce the presence of bookmakers in the world’s most popular league, with 77% of people in a YouGov survey supporting a ban.
But even before the season has kicked off, it looks like the plan has backfired.
EFL clubs are gaining front-of-shirt sponsors, and that has always been a regularity.
However, what seems to have been the most prevalent outcome as a result of the ban is gambling companies finding alternative ways to sponsor Premier League clubs.
If you think that, as a result of the ban, bookmakers will just miraculously disappear from Premier League stadiums and broadcasts – think again.
Official betting partner deals, training kit deals, shirt sleeve sponsorships, partnerships which allow bookies to display their logos on LED advertising boards – they’re just a selection of agreements which have been made over the summer between operators and clubs.
And it was bound to happen. Betting firms had reportedly paid premiums for front-of-shirt sponsorships – why wouldn’t that be the case for “lesser” deals in a league which has a potential TV audience of 4.7 billion?
A few clubs have not signed deals of any nature with any gambling company. Fulham does not list any gambling businesses as club partners, nor does Crystal Palace.
Coventry City owner Doug King personally ended any ties to bookmakers ahead of the 2023/24 season as he does not want betting promoted via his club.
But this has not stopped the vast majority from getting their piece of the pie.
It seems only two minutes ago since Spain dominated Argentina in the World Cup final, but the EFL has already kicked off, and now the Premier League begins again on Friday as reigning champions Arsenal host newly-promoted Coventry City.
As the most-popular league in the world returns this weekend, SBC News looks at the deals signed between Premier League clubs and bookmakers in spite of the front-of-shirt ban.
Premier League clubs’ deals with bookmakers for 2026/27:
- AFC Bournemouth – MrQ (shirt sleeve and official UK online casino partner)
- AFC Bournemouth – CopyBet (official betting partner)
- Arsenal FC – Betway (global betting partner)
- Aston Villa – Betano (shirt sleeve and official partner)
- Brentford FC – Hollywoodbets (official betting partner)
- Brighton and Hove Albion – Betway (official global betting partner)
- Chelsea FC – Betway (official European betting partner)
- Everton FC – Stake (shirt sleeve sponsor)
- Ipswich Town – 8Xbet – (official betting partner in Asia)
- Leeds United – BOYLESports (official betting partner in the UK and Ireland)
- Liverpool FC – Ladbrokes (official betting partner in the UK and Ireland)
- Liverpool FC – Interwetten (official betting partner in Germany and Austria)
- Manchester City – Betway (official global betting partner)
- Manchester United – Betway (official training kit and global betting partner)
- Manchester United – Hong Kong Jockey Club (official community football partner in Hong Kong)
- Manchester United – Parimatch (official betting partner across parts of Asia and MENA regions)
- Newcastle United – BetMGM (official betting partner)
- Newcastle United – 8Xbet (official betting partner in Asia)
- Sunderland AFC – LiveScoreBet (principal partner, shirt sleeve and training kit partner)
- Sunderland AFC – Betway (official betting partner)
- Tottenham Hotspur – Kaizen Gaming, specifically the Betano sportsbook (official training kit partner, and official Europe and LATAM betting partner)