Football or soccer is a popular sport. It is probably the most popular sport globally. As such, it attracts a large viewership.
This huge viewership makes bookmakers scramble to sponsor Premier League teams, and gambling has become synonymous with Premier League sponsorship; according to a study conducted by the University of Stirling, a gambling sponsor is referenced every 21 seconds in a typical TV broadcast.
Usually, a team brands its shirts with the sponsor’s logo. So, how many casino brands are present in the Premier League? Our answer would be none. But, there are several sportsbooks with online casinos. Here are bookmakers with online casinos that are present in the Premier League.
Fun88
Fun88 has extended its sponsorship for Newcastle United. The firm is operated by TPG Europe Limited Casinos, a reputable betting company in the industry. Fun88 launched in 2009. The site offers all casino games, including slots, table games, and live dealer titles.
The brand is Newcastle’s men’s team’s primary sponsor. Its previous deal, which expired at the end of the 2019/2020 season, left the football team with UK£6.5 million per season. This partnership helped Fun88 to build a strong fanbase from Newcastle’s social media pages. The continued partnership is expected to expose Fun88 to more players and take Newcastle to new heights.
BetVictor
BetVictor is a sports betting firm with a casino platform. The brand partnered with Fulham for the 2021/2022 season. Apart from printing its logo on Fulham’s men’s team, BetVictor also had its logo on Fulham’s ladies’ team.
The financial details about the deal were kept private. But, going by the previous Fulham’s sponsor, BetVictor might have spent over UK£3 million yearly.
Bet365
Bet365 can stop looking for its next team to sponsor because it already has established its name. Having launched in 2001, Bet365 has sponsored many football clubs. In fact, the firm has spent billions of dollars.
This has seen one football field named after the company. Bet365 started as a sports betting platform. It has several licenses, including UK Gambling Commission, Malta Gaming Authority, Swedish Gambling Authority, and Estonian Tax and Customs Board. The firm also has an online casino featuring slot machines, table games, and exciting live casino games. Bet365 is the current sponsor of West Ham United, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Leeds United.
William Hill
William Hill is one of the oldest sportsbooks, having launched in 1934. The sportsbook also has an online casino. William Hill has partnered with several Premier League teams, including Tottenham Hotspur FC. During its partnership with various teams, the brand’s log would appear LED perimeter advertising boards and online platforms. The sportsbook invested in various community projects, including the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation. William Hill also funded the Tottenham Hotspur Elevator Programme during its partnership with Tottenham.
Stake
Stake is another brand that has partnered with Premier League teams. During the 2021/2022 season, the company sponsored Watford. With the football team going in relegation, Stake will remain in the Premier League with a new partnership with Everton. This does not end the partnership with Watford. Stake has agreed to pay UK£5 million a year to have its logo printed on Watford’s men’s shirts.
Stake is a Curacao-licensed sportsbook and a cryptocurrency casino. It appeals to casino players as it provides quality games and anonymous payment methods.
Regulations that Casino Brand Present in Premier League Must Follow
There are many sportsbook brands and online casinos with various games present in the Premier League.
Each brand must follow a specific set of rules and regulations related to sponsoring a Premier League team and advertising within the UK.
These regulations include:
- Gambling and Betting Regulations
The first regulation a sponsor must adhere to is gambling and betting. This includes having an operating license from a reputable gambling operator such as UKGC, MGA, Curacao and others.
- Advertising Standards
Casinos and sportsbook brands must comply with advertising standards and regulations set by relevant authorities. These standards often illustrate what content is allowed in advertisements and how it should be presented.
- Age Restrictions
Casinos and sportsbooks must ensure that their advertisements are not targeted at or accessible to underage audiences. Their advertisement should contain a disclaimer. For instance, at the end of an advertisement, the casino should include a line warning underage or children of 18 year and below from placing a wager.
- Sponsorship Disclosure
In some cases, casinos may need to disclose the nature of their sponsorship and any financial arrangements in their advertisements or promotional materials. Usually, the fine print of the whole deal is not accessible publicly. But, as illustrated above, casinos reveal how much they pay to a football team and some other details.
- Financial Fair Play
Also known as FFP, this is a regulation set by football governing bodies to promote fair financial competition within the league. The sponsored football team and the casino or bookmaker should comply with Financial Fair Play regulations.
- Broadcasting Regulations
A casino should comply with broadcasting regulations and restrictions if a deal involves advertising during a live game. Usually, most casinos want to advertise during a live match. This exposes the casino to more views.
- Ethical Considerations
Every football team is on the line in regard to ethics. So, if a casino wants to partner with a football team, it must adhere to ethical standards set by the bodies governing Premier League. Ideally, casinos should not engage in activities that might bring shame or a bad reputation to a football club.
- Intellectual Property
Most casinos and bookmakers would like to use logos and trademarks of a football club they are sponsoring. There is nothing wrong with that. However, the casinos should get the necessary license and permission to use intellectual property belonging to the football club.
- Competition and Antitrust Laws
Casinos, sportsbooks and football clubs should comply with competition and antitrust laws. These regulations promote fair competition and prevent anti-competitive practices.
In 2026, Premier League teams will cease to accept shirt-front betting sponsorships – however this not affect advertising within Premier League games (including advertising hoardings) or gambling logos on shirt sleeves.
These regulations will affect at least a third of Premier League clubs with gambling companies as their primary shirt sponsors, but the three year period before this requirement is enforced allows teams to negotiate new sponsorship deals.
Given how reliant Premier League teams are on gambling sponsorships, it’s unlikely that any amount of regulations would be able to completely remove or separate betting and gambling from Premier League football anytime soon.