Premier League’s Last Gambling Shirt Season: £140M and a UK Crackdown
Summary
The 2025/26 Premier League season will be the last to feature gambling brands on the front of matchday shirts, marking the end of a commercial relationship worth over £140 million annually. Eleven of the twenty Premier League clubs currently have betting logos on their kits and are preparing for this change, which stems from a voluntary agreement made by clubs in 2023. Furthermore, the UK government is considering a more comprehensive ban on all gambling sponsorships – including those from unlicensed offshore operators – covering sleeves, training kits, stadium branding, and more. This potential crackdown is driven by concerns that unlicensed operators are raising their profile and potentially attracting fans to unregulated sites. While licensed gambling brands may still sponsor sleeves and stadium signage, the financial impact on clubs, particularly those in the middle and lower tiers of the league, is expected to be significant, with some teams deriving 28-38% of their commercial revenue from these sponsorships. Alternative sponsors like FX, crypto, and fintech firms are emerging as potential replacements, but securing deals is proving challenging for some clubs, raising concerns about blank shirts in the 2026/27 season.
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