Premier League betting ban shifts ads rather than reducing exposure
Three months in, campaigners are already renewing calls for mandatory intervention.
Key takeaways:
- University of Bristol recorded 15,571 gambling messages during the Premier League opening weekend.
- Gambling logo visibility fell by only 10.5 per cent after the shirt-front betting sponsorship ban.
- Sleeve sponsorship visibility increased by 362 per cent compared with previous years.
- Pitchside advertising accounted for 72 per cent of all gambling messages during live broadcasts.
- Campaigners argue the voluntary restrictions have failed and are calling for tougher advertising controls.
A University of Bristol study has found that the Premier League’s ban on front-of-shirt betting sponsorships has reduced gambling logo visibility by just 10.5 per cent, despite being introduced to curb advertising exposure. Researchers recorded more than 15,000 gambling messages during the opening weekend of the 2026/27 season and found that operators have increasingly shifted marketing activity towards sleeve sponsorships and pitchside advertising. The findings have reignited calls for stricter gambling advertising restrictions across football.
UK.- The Premier League’s voluntary ban on front-of-shirt gambling sponsorship has done little to quell calls for mandatory intervention. Just three months in, gambling reform advocates are renewing their calls for restrictions, arguing that the compromise arrangement first announced back in 2023 did not go far enough.
Sir Iain Duncan Smith and the Coalition to End Gambling Ads (CEGA) have called for government intervention after the University of Bristol released its latest findings on gambling-related harm and advertising exposure linked to top-flight football. The university has been tracking gambling marketing during Premier League broadcasts for the past four years, with this latest report representing its fourth study on the subject.
Produced by the institution’s Hub for Gambling Harms Research, the analysis identified 15,571 instances of what researchers describe as “gambling messages” across the opening weekend of Premier League fixtures. According to the study, at least one gambling-related message was visible for a combined total of five hours and 16 minutes during coverage. It also found that overall visibility of gambling logos has fallen by only 10.5 per cent compared with the 2025/26 campaign.
Researchers argue that these findings suggest the Premier League’s ban on front-of-shirt betting sponsorships, approved by 19 of the league’s 20 clubs in 2023, has had only a limited effect.
“This cannot be presented as a success for self-regulation,” said Dr Raffaello Rossi, Senior Lecturer in Marketing at the University of Bristol Business School and Co-Director of Bristol Hub for Gambling Harms Research.
“Premier League broadcasts contained more gambling messages per game than every other jurisdiction in our comparison, including Germany, Canada and the US. Gambling marketing remains an unavoidable part of watching Premier League football and the issue needs to be tackled more effectively.”
Some have questioned the study’s methodology. Researchers counted a gambling message every time it appeared during a live broadcast, meaning a single advert or logo could be recorded multiple times over the course of a match. However, the main takeaway being circulated is that the front-of-shirt sponsorship ban has not reduced gambling visibility to the extent many expected.
The voluntary ban was announced in 2023 in a bid to head off mandatory rules amid the Gambling Act review. However, advertising activity has largely shifted into other placements and channels. The study found that gambling-related sleeve sponsorships have risen by 362 per cent compared with previous years, while pitchside advertising accounted for 72 per cent of gambling messages recorded during live matches.
Other routes include training kit deals and social media collaborations. The developments have reignited debate over whether the shirt-front ban has achieved its intended purpose. Campaigners who favour stricter regulation continue to argue that a prohibition on gambling advertising in football, and across UK sport, would be more effective.
“These findings are further evidence that the voluntary approach to gambling advertising in football is failing,” said Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP, Co-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Gambling Reform (APPG GH). “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.”
Nevertheless, countries with mandatory bans, such as Italy and Belgium, have also seen clubs and operators find loopholes, including by using the logos of related brands or foundations rather than their gambling brands directly. Football clubs are unlikely to welcome further restrictions. Commercial considerations remain a major factor, with 19 of the Premier League’s 20 clubs and 19 of the Championship’s 24 clubs maintaining partnerships with betting companies.
Meanwhile, the UK’s regulated gambling sector continues to push for the implementation of a proposed ban on unlicensed gambling sponsorship.
FAQs
What did the University of Bristol study find about gambling advertising in the Premier League?
The study recorded 15,571 gambling messages during the opening weekend of the 2026/27 season and found gambling-related branding remained highly visible throughout broadcasts.
How much did gambling logo visibility fall after the Premier League front-of-shirt sponsorship ban?
Researchers found overall gambling logo visibility declined by 10.5 per cent compared with the previous season, which they argued represents only a modest reduction.
Where are betting companies advertising now that shirt-front sponsorships are banned?
The study suggests operators have shifted spending to alternatives including sleeve sponsorships, pitchside LED advertising, training kit branding and social media partnerships.
Why are campaigners critical of the Premier League’s betting sponsorship restrictions?
Campaigners say the measures have not meaningfully reduced exposure to gambling marketing and argue that self-regulation by football and gambling stakeholders has been ineffective.
