DCMS extends unlicensed gambling sponsorship ban to include non-sport deals

The UK government is seeking to ban sponsorship and advertising by unlicensed gambling operators in the UK, which would extend to including non-sport deals.

In a Wednesday announcement the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) confirmed a second consultation was in motion, following an initial review in February. But in its latest update the department said it would seek to enforce a ban by August 2027.

The consultation outlined plans to use secondary legislation under the Gambling Act 2005 to criminalise the promotion of unlicensed gambling operators in Great Britain. This would affect any clubs, leagues, events, venues, or other parties involved in displaying such advertising or sponsorship. 

Notably, it looks like white-label partnerships will come out unscathed, as was suggested by legal experts earlier in the year.

One lawyer told iGB in March that “the white label model isn’t affected by that because you have got someone who is legitimately taking money from British consumers in a compliant way”.  

The consultation sought input from a range of stakeholders, including those from within the professional sports world and the gambling industry.

In its initial consultation in February, the government confirmed that teams were not currently acting unlawfully in maintaining sponsorship arrangements with unlicensed operators. However, this will likely change based on details from this new approach.

This latest consultation focuses on how the ban would work in practice. 

Ban not just for sports

Within its plans, the DCMS said it would seek to prohibit physical advertising assets including pitch-side hoardings and tournament programmes. It would also cover kit and equipment sponsorship as well as venue infrastructure and naming rights.

The government stressed that the ban would apply across all sectors, to prevent unlicensed operators from migrating their advertising to other prominent platforms, such as music venues or cultural events.

In addition, the consultation does not currently propose extending the ban to online or broadcast advertising, which would require primary legislation.

White labels appear safe amid sponsorships ban

Sport, particularly football, stands at the heart of the planned reform. A key motivator was been the May 2025 collapse of TGP Europe, a former Gambling Commission licence holder that provided white-label services for numerous overseas betting brands sponsoring Premier League and Championship football clubs. 

The group had failed to carry out sufficient checks on its business partners, and was found to be breaking anti-money laundering rules.

TGP was hit with a £3.3 million penalty and swiftly surrendered its licence, throwing up to 29 white label brands and their subsequent football sponsorships into question.

Consumer protection 

The government has set three core objectives for the ban, covering consumer protection, market integrity and anti-money laundering. . 

Previous investigations have uncovered links between some overseas gambling sponsors and criminal entities. Additionally, the Financial Conduct Authority has issued warnings to clubs about partnerships with unauthorised firms, such as certain crypto exchanges, highlighting their risks to consumers’ and clubs’ legal positions.

Implementation timelines

Two possible implementation timelines have been outlined. One is a preferred fixed start date in August 2027, ahead of the 2027/28 football season, requiring all physical advertising and sponsorship from unlicensed operators to cease by this deadline.

An alternative date would allow current contracts to run until expiry, with a hard cut-off of August 2028 for any deals signed before the ban.

Officials acknowledged the potential financial impact on clubs, notably smaller teams that are reliant on gambling sponsorship revenues. The DCMS is therefore seeking evidence from clubs, leagues and other stakeholders on their contractual obligations and potential commercial disruptions .

The industry reacts

Government estimates indicated that approximately 40% of Premier League clubs had sponsorship or advertising agreements with unlicensed gambling operators during the 2025/26 season.

The potential ban follows the Premier League’s voluntary ban of front-of-shirt gambling sponsorships, which comes into effect in the 2026/27 season. Previous data has suggested Premier League teams could suffer a shortfall of £80 million in revenue from the ban.

In May of this year, tier one operator Entain first called on the Independent Football Regulator (IFR) to stop clubs from accepting gambling sponsorships from operators not licensed in the UK.

The Ladbrokes and Coral owner embraced the government’s consultation this week. CEO Stella David said: “The government has rightly recognised that these sponsorship arrangements create risks for consumers and for sport.”

She added: “The government has correctly identified the risks associated with unlicensed gambling sponsorship in sport, yet many of these same operators continue to reach consumers through online channels.” 

The consultation is open to submissions via an online form and email, with a 9 September deadline. The government intends to review responses and decide on the regulatory approach later this year.