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The Premier League football clubs will meet later today to discuss the future of betting sponsorships from gambling operators.
Gambling Act 2005 Review
The government is currently reviewing the now outdated 2005 Gambling Act, which does not reflect the current digital age. In January 2021, the Daily Telegraph reported Boris Johnson would support a blanket ban on shirt sponsorship as a ‘most likely outcome of the gambling revue’.EFL Chairman Rick Parry has reiterated how important sponsorship from gambling operators is to the financial future of Premier League clubs. Lower league clubs benefit hugely from sponsorship deals that contribute £40 million per season to lower league clubs.
Limited Exposure
During 2019/2020 UK operators have limited terrace exposure after coming under scrutiny from the mainstream media. EFL clubs are dedicated to the prevention of harm through gambling and continually use ‘transformative campaigns’ during match days, exclusively to gambling-related harm messaging.The EFL agree all sponsorship should be fully focused on gambling-related harm and have continued to commit to the regulations.
Balance
The UK government is being urged to find a balance between sponsorship and prevention of harm due to gambling. The government has confirmed they are ‘following evidence’ collated from the ongoing gambling act review before making any decision.Chancellor Rishi Sunak who sunk £300 million into a Winter Survival Package for UK sports is following developments closely. The sports industry contributes millions to the treasury in taxes and this is something that needs consideration while the recovery process takes place after lockdowns.The Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sports (DCMS) is to produce their ‘White Paper’ during the latter end of 2021 with new recommendations for the UK’s gambling industry