DCMS delays unlicensed sponsor ban until 2027/28

• The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) says its consultation on banning unlicensed gambling sponsors will launch shortly.
• DCMS confirms the 2027/28 season is the earliest a ban could take effect, delaying action first flagged in February 2026.
• Everton moved Stake to a new sleeve sponsorship for 2026/27, while Entain’s Stella David urges the Independent Football Regulator to intervene.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has revealed that its consultation on banning unlicensed gambling operators from sponsoring British sports clubs will launch soon, but confirmed that any resulting ban cannot take effect before the 2027/28 season.

The announcement comes five months after DCMS first flagged the plan, during which unlicensed operators including Stake have continued signing sponsorship deals with Premier League clubs.

Timeline slips again

DCMS first confirmed on 23 February 2026 that it would consult on banning operators without a Gambling Commission licence from sponsoring British sports clubs. That consultation was originally due in spring 2026, but by July it still had not launched.

The delay traces back to a long-standing loophole. The Gambling Act 2005 only criminalises unlicensed gambling facilities used in Great Britain, letting offshore operators in white-listed jurisdictions advertise and sponsor clubs without a UK licence. DCMS launched a cross-industry Illegal Gambling Taskforce in January to target social media advertising and payments tied to unlicensed sites.

A DCMS spokesperson said:

“It’s not right that unlicensed gambling operators can sponsor some of our biggest football clubs, raising their profile and potentially drawing fans towards sites that don’t meet our regulatory standards.”

DCMS added that the 2027/28 season remains the earliest point a ban could feasibly come into force, given the parliamentary process a new prohibition requires.

Entain piles on pressure

The delay has frustrated licensed operators, particularly Ladbrokes Coral owner Entain, which has urged the football regulator to act on unlicensed sponsorship.

Entain’s general counsel wrote to six Premier League clubs in May, calling on them to commit to UK-licensed gambling sponsors only for the new season. Two of those clubs, Burnley and Wolves, have since been relegated to the Championship, where Wolves has signed with Midnite as its new front-of-shirt partner.

Entain has also pressed the newly formed Independent Football Regulator (IFR) to intervene directly, arguing its existing licensing rules already cover the issue.

Stella David, Chief Executive Officer of Entain, said:

“Premier League clubs are being sponsored by criminal gambling firms. The Independent Football Regulator can stop this tomorrow by simply acknowledging that unlicensed gambling companies targeting UK customers through English football are breaking the law – plain and simple.”

Sponsorship deals continue

As the consultation stalls, unlicensed brands keep signing deals. Stake, an operator that surrendered its UK licence in 2025, moved its Everton front-of-shirt deal to a sleeve sponsorship for 2026/27 after CMC Markets took over the shirtfront.

Licensed operators have filled some of the gaps left by the front-of-shirt ban. Betano recently became Tottenham’s training wear partner, and Midnite has signed four Championship clubs: Sheffield United, Middlesbrough, Wolves and Southampton.

The standoff also lands as operators face fresh cost pressure. The Gambling Commission has confirmed financial risk assessments will roll out in stages, beginning with a £5,000 net-deposit trigger over 24 hours for the largest operators, on top of recent tax rises.

Entain, meanwhile, has continued its own wider black market campaign, separately pushing the UK Intellectual Property Office to tie gambling trademark registration to Gambling Commission licensing.

With a full Premier League season set to pass before any ban can apply, licensed operators face at least one more year competing against rivals unconstrained by UK marketing and compliance rules.