Premier League Set to Ban Gambling Sponsors on Shirts

Premier League clubs are expected to agree to a voluntary ban on new gambling shirt sponsorship deals, according to the Times. 

Earlier this month, the top-flight soccer league asked its clubs to voluntarily ban new gambling shirt sponsor deals in an effort to circumvent potential legislation. In order for the ban to be approved, 14 of the league’s 20 clubs will need to vote in favor of the potential change. 

• Last season, 10 clubs had gambling company shirt sponsors.
• The ban could see those clubs miss out on between $6 million to $12 million per year.
• It would not include shirt-sleeve deals, only front-of-shirt pacts. 

The potential ban will be a topic of discussion at a Premier League shareholder’s meeting next week, where certain conditions and a transition process will be discussed. Under the Premier League’s current proposal, clubs would end any existing shirt deals within three years.

No Worries 

Liverpool FC won’t have to worry about a potential ban on new gambling shirt deals after it renewed its sponsorship pact with British bank Standard Chartered last week. 

The four-season renewal is worth more than $236.8 million, or $59.2 million annually.

Standard Chartered first secured shirt sponsorship rights to Liverpool in 2010, taking over for Danish brewery group Carlsberg. The bank’s current deal — which ends after the 2022-23 season — is worth an estimated $25 million per year.