In defiance of the looming ban, Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton Wanderers are announcing fresh gambling sponsorship deals.
In the world of British football, several Premier League clubs are seizing the opportunity to secure sponsorship deals with gambling and sports betting providers before a ban on such advertising takes effect in the 2026/2027 season.
One of the largest bookmakers in the United Kingdom, William Hill, has made its mark in Scottish football, with the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) partnering with the brand as the main sponsor for all SPFL leagues for the next five years. The first Scottish football league will now be known as the William Hill Premiership, with advertising for William Hill being prominent in Scottish football.
Crystal Palace, in particular, has entered into a "record-breaking" two-year deal with Vietnamese sports betting provider NET88. NET88's advertising will be visible on the chests of Crystal Palace's jerseys and official training gear. The specific financial details of the deal have not been disclosed, but it is clear that Crystal Palace is making a concerted effort to maximize revenue before the ban commences.
Wolverhampton Wanderers have also secured a significant sponsorship deal, partnering with Southeast Asian gambling provider DEBET for the upcoming two Premier League seasons. This deal is reported to be the largest in the club's history.
Other Premier League clubs, including AFC Bournemouth, Burnley FC, Fulham FC, Nottingham Forest, and West Ham United, have also opted for sponsors from the gambling and sports betting industry. Aston Villa, for instance, has signed a sponsorship deal with Betano, reportedly paying around £20 million (approximately €23.71 million) per year.
The Gambling Business Group Committee (GBGC) does not consider mere partnerships—where the gambling brand does not appear on jerseys or stadium physical boards—as falling under its remit. Clubs can argue compliance by working with gambling operators whose websites are geo-blocked in the UK and who do not accept bets from UK-based customers, thereby technically respecting the GBGC’s jurisdiction.
The transition period allows clubs to seek new sponsors and revenue streams before the Premier League's ban on advertising gambling and sports betting providers on the chests of shirts, which will take effect from the 26/27 season. However, it is important to note that the current rules and enforcement have loopholes that allow these partnerships to continue temporarily.
NET88, a relatively unknown online gambling provider for sports fans, is the new sponsor of Crystal Palace for the upcoming football season. The deal between Wolverhampton Wanderers and DEBET is another example of clubs leveraging regulatory nuances and the transitional timeline before the 2026/27 season, when the ban becomes fully enforceable, to maintain gambling partnerships for the 2025/26 season.
References:
- The Guardian
- Sky Sports
- BBC Sport
- The Telegraph
- The Athletic
- What about other industries interested in capitalizing on the sports industry's transition period before the ban on gambling sponsorships in European leagues, particularly the Premier League? Finance firms might seek to establish strategic partnerships with clubs to boost their brand visibility.
- European football leagues, not only the Premier League, could see sponsorship deals with sports betting providers such as NET88 and DEBET as the 2026/2027 ban on advertising approaches. Sports such as football might particularly attract these sponsors, especially since clubs like Crystal Palace have already entered into record-breaking deals with them.
- As the 2025/2026 season approaches, sports organizations could examine potential partnerships with various sectors like finance, not just gambling, to secure revenue streams and maintain their competitive edge, anticipating the ban on advertising during the 2026/2027 season.
