UK Government to Ban Unlicensed Operators from Sponsoring Premier League Clubs?

The UK government has launched a consultation that could see unlicensed gambling sites banned from sponsoring Premier League clubs.

It comes as Everton FC caused more controversy by renewing their commercial deal with Stake.com, despite the Australian firm effectively getting kicked out of the UK market last year.

Although betting companies are now prohibited from sponsoring the front of Premier League teams’ shirts following a voluntary ban, operators can still have their logos plastered on shirt sleeves, shorts and other forms of media.

But the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) wants to ensure that no unlicensed firms are doing so in a bid to tackle the growing illegal black market – while closing the door on the likes of Stake.com for good.

Legal Loophole

The DCMS was criticised earlier this year when they announced that a review of sponsorship rules in football would be delayed until the summer.

That allowed Everton to renew their deal with Stake, which is rumoured to be worth around £5 million to the club each season.

That has forced the governmental department to act, so they announced earlier this week that they have launched a review – ‘Consultation on Banning Unlicensed Gambling Sponsorship’ – that will conclude in September.

Introducing the consultation, the DCMS confirms that under current UK law, unlicensed gambling operators can still sponsor English football clubs when their site/app is geo-blocked in the UK.

However, with more and more people becoming VPN savvy, the government wants to close this loophole by changing the law – which their consultation is expected to recommend.

If the ban is given the go ahead, it’s not yet known if Everton will be forced to sever ties with Stake.com. There could be legal ramifications for the DCMS, with that deal contracted to run until 2030.

Shirt Ban

It’s estimated that more than 1.8 billion people around the globe tune in to Premier League games each week.

That fanbase stretches to North America, Africa and Asia, which explains why operators are so desperate to connect their brand with Premier League clubs – even if they aren’t targeting the UK market specifically.

Some have previously taken the back door route into the UK, signing white label agreements with licensed entities – such as Stake’s partnership with TGP Europe.

That came crashing to a halt in 2025 when TGP Europe was forced to surrender its licence by the Gambling Commission, which in turn also saw Stake leave the UK market.

But they retained their links with Everton, advertising their brand on the front of the Toffees’ shirt – despite calls for the deal to be ceased prematurely.

The Gambling Commission wrote a letter to Everton and a handful of other Premier League clubs, warning them of the dangers of ‘promoting’ unlicensed betting operators. The regulator even warned that their senior members of staff could face criminal charges, including the possibility of imprisonment.

In August, the Premier League’s voluntary ban on front-of-shirt gambling sponsors will kick in, which will see previous agreements come to a halt.

And by the end of September, unlicensed operators may be banned from sponsoring any aspect of an EPL club’s playing kit or facilities.