Crime & Justice
UK government moves to ban unlicensed gambling operators from sponsoring British sports teams
Synthesized from1 source
The UK government is launching a consultation to ban unlicensed gambling operators from sponsoring British sports teams, as operators have also used deepfakes to impersonate Jude Bellingham and Bruno Fernandes.
- The government will launch a consultation this week to ban unlicensed casinos, such as Stake.com, from sponsoring Premier League clubs.
- Everton FC signed a three-year sleeve sponsorship deal with Stake.com, which surrendered its UK licence in 2025 amid a regulatory review.
- Unlicensed operators Nightwin and QH88 used AI-generated deepfakes to falsely present Jude Bellingham and Bruno Fernandes as brand ambassadors.
- Stella David, CEO of Entain, warned the government in June that delayed action risked clubs finalizing deals with unlicensed operators.
What happened since
UK government proposes ban on unlicensed casino sponsorships for sports teams from 2027
The UK government has launched an eight‑week consultation on banning unlicensed casinos from sponsoring sports teams, with the ban potentially taking effect as early as August 2027.
- The government announced the proposed ban, which would make commercial deals with unlicensed gambling operators a criminal offence.
- Gambling minister Fiona Twycross said that although most sectors and sports will be unaffected, some sports or clubs will be impacted.
- Everton FC, which signed a sleeve sponsorship with unlicensed crypto casino Stake.com in June, faces losing at least one year of the three‑year deal if the ban is enforced by 2028.
- Premier League clubs Chelsea, Ipswich Town, and Fulham also have sponsorship agreements with unlicensed operators.
Coverage
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