Entain urges Premier League clubs to end partnerships with unlicensed betting sponsors

(AsiaGameHub) –   Ladbrokes and Coral owner Entain has issued a direct appeal to six Premier League clubs that have partnerships with unlicensed betting operators, as revealed in letters obtained by SBC News.

Simon Zinger, Entain’s General Counsel, sent open letters to the six teams, continuing the company’s campaign against sponsorship deals involving unlicensed gambling brands. This effort follows an earlier appeal by Entain’s Chief Executive Officer, Stella David, addressed to the Premier League and its gambling regulator.

Zinger wrote to senior figures at Burnley, Bournemouth, Fulham, Everton, Sunderland, and Wolverhampton Wanderers, urging them to “commit to only using UK-licensed gambling sponsors from next season onwards”.

Entain criticises ‘aggressive marketing’ by unlicensed operators

The clubs are currently partnered with the following firms: Burnley with 96.com, Bournemouth with BJ88, Fulham with SBOTOP, Everton with Stake, Sunderland with W88, and Wolves with DEBET.

With the exception of Stake, all these companies are ‘Asian-focused’ bookmakers and none hold a licence issued by the British Gambling Commission.

All six firms were once licensed in the UK through TGP Europe, a white-label provider based in the Isle of Man. Stake surrendered its licence in February 2024 amid controversy over its marketing practices, and TGP Europe subsequently collapsed in April 2024, receiving a fine from the Gambling Commission in the process.

In correspondence with Bill Foley, Bournemouth’s Chairman, and Angus Kinnear, Everton’s CEO, Entain’s Zinger expressed that the FTSE 100 company “is deeply concerned” about the clubs’ agreements with BJ88 and Stake.

“As you will know, Stake’s heavy reliance on cryptocurrency and its history of operating in grey jurisdictions make it a lightning rod for concerns regarding money laundering and lack of player protection,” he wrote to Kinnear.

“Stake’s rapid rise has been fuelled by an unregulated streamer culture that specifically targets younger demographics—demographics your Everton in the Community programmes are dedicated to protecting.”

Addressing Bill Foley, Zinger stated: “The sponsorship with BJ88 is particularly concerning given the brand’s lack of transparent corporate history and its focus on the grey market.

“BJ88 has frequently been linked to aggressive marketing tactics in regions where gambling is prohibited, often using unregulated payment methods like cryptocurrency to avoid financial oversight.”

“By accepting sponsorship from a firm that operates in the shadows of international law, Bournemouth is actively legitimising the infrastructure used by the global black market.”

Operator calls on clubs to act in place of Premier League

Back in February, Stella David appealed directly to Richard Masters, CEO of the Premier League, questioning why clubs competing in the world’s most-watched football league should be promoting gambling brands that do not hold a UK licence.

From next season, the Premier League will enforce a voluntary ban on front-of-shirt sponsorships with betting companies, regardless of whether they are licensed or unlicensed. However, sleeve sponsorships, perimeter LED advertising, and social media promotions will remain permitted.

Currently, there are no regulations prohibiting clubs from partnering with offshore betting operators. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) rules allow clubs to maintain such partnerships as long as the unlicensed company does not directly target British customers—a policy influenced by the global reach of the league.

Concerns over the scale of black market gambling activity in the UK, alongside public and political frustration with gambling advertising, have prompted the DCMS to consider whether to outright ban unlicensed betting firms from sponsoring sports in Britain.

“I welcome the government’s intention to crack down on this,” Zinger wrote in his letters to Bournemouth and Everton.

“Going beyond the Premier League’s voluntary front-of-shirt gambling ban from next season, they are consulting on banning all unlicensed, illegal gambling operator sponsorship in sport, including sleeve patches and perimeter boards.”

Entain is clearly not waiting for the DCMS’ Illegal Gambling Taskforce to conclude its consultation—perhaps mindful of how prolonged UK political processes around gambling regulation can be.

The company is also dissatisfied with the Premier League’s response to its CEO’s February appeal, as detailed in Zinger’s letters.

“With the Premier League failing to show sufficient leadership, I am appealing to you directly,” Zinger wrote to Bournemouth’s Foley, referencing the clubs’ commitments under the Premier League Owners’ Charter.

An appeal to regulation

Entain has highlighted charter provisions requiring clubs to operate “in an economically stable, sustainable, and socially responsible manner” and “with good faith, honesty and the highest possible standards of professional behaviour and sporting integrity”.

Zinger argues that the illicit activities of offshore operators—such as the aforementioned lack of transparency surrounding BJ88—combined with estimates from the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) that £2.7 billion is staked annually with unregulated and illegal operators, undermines these charter obligations.

“On the evidence set out above, a front-of-shirt partnership with an unlicensed gambling operator cannot be reconciled with either principle,” he said, adding that both Bournemouth and Everton are “proud clubs” that “deserve better than to be sold out to nefarious sponsors”.

The UK gambling sector faces significant pressure in 2026, driven by increased political scrutiny—particularly around advertising and retail betting—and the growing financial impact of higher taxation.

In this context, Entain is intensifying its advocacy against unlicensed sponsorship in football. Appealing to a sport deeply embedded in British culture and communities, the company is positioning itself as a responsible actor while distancing itself from unregulated operators at a time when many people, including those in political circles, struggle to distinguish between regulated and unregulated gambling activities.

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