One in five Championship clubs will have gambling sponsors on match-day shirts next season, despite fears about fan welfare.

Analysis by CARE shows 5 out of 24 clubs have struck deals with betting companies that require a logo to appear on the front of match-day shirts. The figure represents a slight decrease from last season, when six Championship teams had such agreements.

The last five years have seen a drop in gambling sponsorship in the EFL. More than three times as many clubs (7 in 10) had betting shirt sponsors in 2018. Almost half of clubs in the English Premier League (9 out of 20) continue to have gambling logos on match-day shirts.

Gambling partnerships must end

Ross Hendry, CEO of CARE, which campaigns for tougher regulation of the gambling industry and better support for problem gamblers, said: “It has been a relief to see betting partnerships decreasing steadily in the Championship in recent years, but we are not where we need to be.

“For people struggling with addiction, constant exposure to gambling marketing is far from harmless. By continuing to pursue gambling sponsorship, clubs are ignoring public health experts and bereaved families urging a halt.

“Football and gambling are too intertwined. Fans face an onslaught of betting adverts on TV and online. Polling for our charity found that the UK public is uncomfortable with the number of ads being shown."

“Gambling sponsorship serves an industry that depends entirely on customer loss for its success, with a track record of putting profits before people. It's time for English football to blow the final whistle on its partnership with the gambling industry."

Gambling shirt sponsorship breakdown

CARE found that five Championship clubs will have gambling companies as their main shirt sponsor in 2023/24: Middlesborough, Southampton, Stoke City, Sunderland, and Watford.

Overall gambling partnership breakdown

Ten Championship clubs have some kind of partnership with a betting company that involves its promotion through official channels.

Five clubs that do not display betting logos on their match-day shirts have a partnership with a gambling company: Blackburn Rovers, Leeds, QPR, Sheffield Wednesday, and West Bromwich.

Middlesborough and Watford are the most gambling industry tied clubs. Each side has a separate sponsorship deal with a gambling company in addition to its gambling shirt sponsor.

Full data can be accessed here: Championship-betting-sponsorship-2023-24-data.pdf

Public opinion

A Savanta poll for CARE in April found that 2 in 3 UK adults think TV coverage of football matches is over-saturated with gambling ads.

Close to two thirds of respondents who expressed an opinion (64%) said they think “too many” gambling adverts are shown during televised football games. And almost 9 in 10 (87%) said gambling advertising in UK football “should be overseen by a regulator”. A breakdown for Scottish and Northern Irish respondents is provided.

Premier League gambling sponsorship

Analysis by CARE found that nine out of twenty clubs have struck a deal with betting companies that requires a logo to appear on the front or the sleeve of match-day shirts. Seven clubs have chosen to partner with a gambling company for their main shirt sponsor, and two clubs will display a gambling company on their shirt sleeve only.

ENDS

Notes for Editors

CARE’s analysis is available here. For more information, or to request an interview with one of CARE’s policy experts, contact: press@care.org.uk

Christian Action Research and Education (CARE) provides analysis of social policy from a Christian perspective. It has campaigned for tougher regulation of the gambling industry, and increased investment in initiatives that help people escape gambling addiction.

Helpful links:

• Polling for CARE finds public unease about gambling | CARE
• People who bet on sports are more likely to develop a problem