Gambling advertising remains widespread across Premier League broadcasts despite the introduction of a voluntary ban on front-of-shirt betting sponsorships, according to new research from the University of Bristol.
Researchers recorded 15,571 gambling advertising messages during the opening weekend of the 2026/27 season, approximately 42% more than in 2023, when clubs first agreed to remove betting companies from the front of matchday shirts.
The restriction reduced gambling branding exposure by 10.5% compared with the previous season, but appearances on shirt sleeves and training kits increased by 362%. Pitchside advertising accounted for 72% of messages identified during live matches.
The findings have prompted criticism from gambling reform campaigners, who argue that the voluntary measures have achieved limited results.
“I think it was a cynical move from the Premier League to voluntarily remove the gambling ads from the front of shirts because I think they knew that they could easily move them to the sleeves, to training kits and around stadiums, which is exactly what’s happened,” said Nick Harvey, spokesperson for the Coalition to End Gambling Ads (CEGA).
Research Highlights Continued Advertising Exposure
The University of Bristol’s Hub for Gambling Harms Research has monitored betting advertising in Premier League coverage for four years.
Its latest study found that gambling marketing appeared on screen for a combined five hours and 16 minutes during the opening weekend.
The researchers count each appearance of gambling branding as a separate message, meaning that repeated displays of the same advertisement contribute to the total.
Dr Raffaello Rossi, Senior Lecturer in Marketing at the University of Bristol Business School, said the results raised concerns about football’s reliance on voluntary advertising restrictions.
“The front of shirt ban was effective in removing gambling logos from shirt fronts, but it did not remove them from football,” Rossi said.
The study also compared advertising exposure across international sports broadcasts.
Premier League coverage averaged 2,449 gambling messages per match over the four-year comparison period, compared with 1,677 during German Bundesliga games and 483 across NBA and NHL coverage in the United States.
Rossi is scheduled to present the findings to the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Gambling Reform as lawmakers consider whether additional restrictions are necessary.
Clubs Continue Alternative Betting Sponsorships
The Premier League’s voluntary agreement came into force at the beginning of the current season, following a three-year transition period.
Although gambling companies can no longer appear on the front of matchday shirts, clubs remain permitted to enter into other sponsorship arrangements with betting operators.
Manchester United signed a training kit agreement with Betway in August, while Tottenham Hotspur reached a similar deal with Betano in June.
Aston Villa and Everton are among the clubs continuing to display gambling brands on their shirt sleeves.
The betting industry remains an important commercial partner for English football. According to Ampere Analysis, gambling companies accounted for 13% of new sponsorship agreements signed during the 2026/27 season.
Nineteen Premier League clubs and 19 Championship clubs maintain betting partnerships.
The Premier League also participates in football’s Gambling Code of Conduct, which establishes standards for responsible sponsorship and includes protections for younger audiences.
However, some advertising formats appearing during live television coverage fall outside the league’s direct control.
Campaigners Seek Further Government Action
The research has renewed calls for legislation addressing gambling advertising across football.
Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP, Co-Chair of the APPG for Gambling Reform, criticised the limited effect of voluntary measures.
“These findings are further evidence that the voluntary approach to gambling advertising in football is failing,” he said.
“After repeated promises of reform, fans continue to be exposed to thousands of gambling messages during Premier League coverage. The front-of-shirt restriction has barely scratched the surface of the issue. We cannot continue to rely on the gambling and football industries to regulate themselves.”
CEGA has called for a wider prohibition on betting promotions, with Harvey preparing to present a petition signed by more than 27,000 people to Downing Street.
The Premier League defended its approach, stating:
“The Premier League and our clubs take their responsibilities around gambling sponsorship seriously and fully recognise the importance of protecting children and people at risk of gambling-related harm.”
The league highlighted its compliance monitoring and ongoing cooperation with government authorities.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport welcomed the front-of-shirt ban but expressed concern about gambling companies operating without UK licences continuing to sponsor football clubs.
As reported by The Independent, a departmental spokesperson confirmed:
“That is why we are now working on banning unlicensed operators from sponsorship deals in British sport.”
The government has yet to announce broader restrictions on gambling sponsorship involving licensed operators.