Premier League gambling ban leaves 9 clubs without shirt deals
Table of contents
- Nine Premier League clubs have yet to secure a front-of-shirt sponsor for the 2026/27 season as the voluntary gambling ban takes effect.
- Replacement deals from non-gambling brands are coming in at roughly half the value of existing contracts, according to senior club executives.
- Financial services firm CMC Markets is in advanced negotiations with both Everton and Fulham in deals reported to be worth up to £50m over three years.
The Premier League’s voluntary ban on front-of-shirt gambling sponsorships is set to strip clubs of as much as £80m in combined revenue next season, with nine clubs still without a main shirt sponsor for 2026/27 and the departure of betting operators leaving a commercial gap few alternative sectors can fill.
A divided market
As many as nine clubs have yet to secure front-of-shirt deals, and 12 have not signed contracts, raising the prospect of several clubs beginning the new campaign without a shirt sponsor.
Gambling operators, particularly those targeting Asian markets, have historically paid premium rates for global visibility through Premier League exposure. Their exit has left a market that few other industries are willing to match on price.
Sean Connell, editor of The Sponsor, has said that clubs with gambling sponsors stand to lose an average of 38% of their front-of-shirt value when replacing those deals with non-gambling brands.
One commercial director, speaking anonymously to The Sponsor, confirmed that the best offer received from a non-gambling brand was less than half their current deal.
“Nearly everyone is losing money. Outside the big six, shirt sponsorship offers have dropped by around 50% from a range of between £8m and £12m a season,” a senior club executive told the Guardian.
Another executive estimated the collective revenue hit across clubs could reach £80m next season.
Big six insulated
The damage is heavily concentrated outside the top tier. Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United are locked into long-term deals with Emirates, Standard Chartered, Etihad Airways and Snapdragon worth between £50m and £60m a year.
Chelsea and Newcastle are still seeking new sponsors, with their existing deals with IFS and Sela expiring in the summer. Chelsea has begun each of the past three seasons without a shirt sponsor before agreeing short-term deals later in the campaign.
Among clubs lower down the table, Bournemouth has confirmed that stadium sponsor Vitality will take over front-of-shirt duties. Brentford is reportedly close to a deal with Indeed, its current training kit partner. Both clubs are understood to have accepted deals worth around £4m to £5m per year, well below the value of the gambling contracts they are replacing.
Connell has noted that Bournemouth’s reported £6.1m annual deal with BJ88 sat 49% above fair market value, making the effective drop steeper still.
Financial services step in
CMC Markets, a London-listed financial services group, is reportedly in talks with Everton and Fulham over deals worth up to £50m over three years. SportFive is reportedly acting as broker. Neither club has confirmed the discussions and no contracts have been signed.
A football industry insider said CMC targeted both clubs because their supporter demographics align with its existing customer base, performing especially well in London and the north west of England.
Everton and West Ham will shift their gambling shirt sponsors to sleeve placements next season, with sleeve and pitchside deals remaining permitted under league rules.
The UK government is also considering a measure that would ban unlicensed operators from any form of sports sponsorship, which could complicate those arrangements further. Everton’s current shirt partner Stake exited the UK market in 2025.
The trend mirrors shifts already under way in Latin America. Betting operators hold master shirt sponsorships at 13 of 20 Série A clubs in 2026, down from 18 in 2025, following Brazil’s tax-driven shake-up.
Displaced gambling operators may redirect spending toward the English Football League, where shirt sponsorship remains permitted under an existing Sky Bet agreement running through 2029.
For mid-table Premier League clubs unable to attract premium replacements, Profit and Sustainability Rules will add urgency to every negotiation this summer, with no guarantee the financial services sector can bridge the full commercial shortfall.
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