Premier League to fight government attempts to limit betting sponsors
Premier League to fight government attempts to limit betting sponsors with HALF the clubs in the division having gambling firms as their main partner
- Ministers have committed to looking again at the 2005 Gambling Act
- All Premier League clubs have gambling partners with half as main sponsor
- There has been criticism that the links promote gambling to children
The Premier League will strongly resist any attempts by government to limit shirt sponsorship by betting companies with the clubs determined to carry on selling advertising space to the highest bidder.
Ministers have committed to looking again at the 2005 Gambling Act, which deregulated the industry and led to an influx of gambling companies into sport, in a wide-ranging review that could lead to significant restrictions on their activities including a potential ban on shirt sponsorship.
The Premier League will fight such calls for tighter regulation however to protect the income of their clubs, all of whom have gambling partners with 10 of them having a betting company as their main sponsor.
West Ham are one of a number of teams with betting companies sponsoring their shirts
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters launched a strong defence of the clubs’ betting links on Tuesday, despite concerns that the strong association has led to a rise in problem gambling and addiction, particularly amongst children.
‘We’re not sniffy or judgemental about gambling at all,’ Masters said. ‘As you know, sport and gambling have a long association.
‘The Premier League doesn’t have partnerships with gambling companies, we don’t sell watching bet rights, but it’s up to our clubs whether they want to have their own gambling relationships. All of them do, and a number of them are on the shirt front.
‘I think this area does need stronger governance, particularly to protect the vulnerable, but I don’t think the answer coming out at the end of it should be that football clubs shouldn’t have shirt sponsorship from gambling companies any more.
‘Our clubs have always abided by rules and regulations in relation to it.’
Half of the Premier League clubs have betting companies as their leading shirt sponsors
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