EPL clubs close to agreeing on bookie jersey advertising ban

English Premier League clubs are gearing up to agree to a proposed ban prohibiting them from advertising sports betting sponsors on the front of their jerseys.

Per the proposal’s details, gambling ads on the front of the shirt would be banned; however, football clubs could promote their sponsors on the sleeves of their shirts. The top-flight clubs are expected to prioritise the proposal during a shareholders’ meeting on Thursday.

A final conclusive vote concerning the group’s decision could extend to as far as June when EPL clubs have their summer meeting. The clubs will likely be in support of the proposal, provided there is a three-year transition period before it is implemented.

Agreeing to the front-of-shirt ban could also stop the UK Government from signing off on an outright gambling advertising ban. The government is set to publish a much-delayed gambling white paper next month and mentioned a blanket ban if the clubs do not reach an agreement.

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Tony Bloom, the chairman of Brighton who grew his wealth due to his sports betting affiliation, has been a major advocate of banning gambling shirt deals since last year. He pointed out that children are usually privy to these gambling ads because they buy the shirts of their favored clubs.

“I don’t think having gambling sponsorship on shirts is good, but I understand that for some clubs, particularly clubs down the leagues with much less revenue, the gambling companies pay the best so it’s a difficult decision to turn them down,” Bloom said.

“Although there is gambling advertising all around, I just think on the shirts it’s the most obvious, so that would give me the most concern.”

While the proposal is regarded as a major topic among the Premier League clubs, EFL clubs will likely be unaffected by it. This is due to the belief that if the outfits are made to adhere to similar plans, the economic impact would be massive.

Out of the 20 Premier League clubs, eight have a sports betting firm as their sponsor with their name in front of the team’s jerseys. Clubs like Newcastle and Fulham have sports betting contracts and will ensure the agreements are terminated by the end of the season.

None of the Premier “Big Six,” which consist of Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham, and Manchester City, display sports betting companies in front of their jerseys. This is despite claims that these clubs usually nab the highest deals.

One top fight club also recently claimed that they would lose out on around £5 million to £10 million per season if they opted to terminate their sports betting partnerships.

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