UK to crack down on unlicensed casinos sponsoring football teams
The UK government plans to launch a consultation to ban unlicensed casinos from sponsoring British sports teams.Summary
UK ministers are preparing to launch a consultation aimed at closing loopholes that allow unlicensed gambling operators to sponsor British sports teams. This move follows concerns that delays in government action have allowed offshore firms to secure lucrative deals, such as Everton FC's sponsorship with Stake.com, a crypto casino that surrendered its UK license.
Industry leaders, including Entain's CEO Stella David, have warned that the absence of immediate regulation risks clubs entering new agreements that may later be banned. Critics argue that these unregulated deals can benefit criminal networks, deprive the Treasury of tax revenue, and harm vulnerable consumers. While the Premier League has already agreed to ban front-of-shirt casino sponsorships by 2026-27, the current focus is on preventing unlicensed entities from using sleeve or training kit sponsorships to target British fans.
(Source：The Guardian)