When it comes to gambling advertising in the English Premier league there is a lot of noise but not a lot of action.
Looking at shirt sponsors for the 2021/22 season shows an increase the number of teams being sponsored by gambling firms (from eight to nine), and gambling sponsorship now accounts for 45% of all teams.
The breakdown of Premier League team sponsors by sector
The increase was caused by two promoted teams having gambling sponsorship, while only one relegated team had a gambling sponsor. It would make you think that if Brentford and Watford can manage to stay up this year, then gambling sponsors will be in the majority at the start of 2022/23.
But not so fast. Another trend among gambling sponsors is that they tend to support clubs lower down the food chain. The average finishing position of gambling sponsored clubs was 12th compared to an average of 5th for teams sponsored by financial firms. So it is likely that some gambling sponsors will end up in the Championship next year.
While the Premier League continues to talk about ‘responsible partnerships’ and ‘self-regulation’ this trend is unlikely to change. The global exposure of the Premier League makes even a smaller club an ideal opportunity for bookmakers to attract customers. In effect, a football game in England is used by Asian bookmakers to attract Asian customers watching on TV – hence the lucky number 88 appearing in two teams this year.
Whether calls from the House of Lords that gambling operators should no longer be allowed to advertise on the shirts of sports teams or any other part of their kit from 2023 will be listened to remains to be seen.
I wouldn’t bet on it.
Sport.dat 