The English Football Premier League, the FA, the Women's Super League, and the British Horseracing Authority have agreed to implement new rules before the start of the new season.
Social Responsibility: Sponsorships should be promoted responsibly, incorporating educational and advocacy information in marketing.
Reinvesting in Sports: Funds from gambling sponsorships should be reinvested into infrastructure and projects beneficial to fans and the community.
Maintaining Sports Integrity: Sponsorships must not compromise the integrity of sports competitions or the welfare of participants.
Football clubs will limit gambling sponsorships targeting children and vulnerable groups, and ensure professional football players are aware of available support services.
Clubs will also allocate a portion of sponsorship funds to promote safer gambling messages.
In horseracing, the regulations will prohibit gambling promotions targeting individuals under 18 and ensure appropriate age-awareness measures are taken.
BGC members provide financial support to many sports, with the English Football League and its clubs receiving £40 million ($51 million) from Sky Bet, and the Scottish Professional Football League sponsored by William Hill. Additionally, horseracing receives £350 million in sponsorships, while snooker, darts, and rugby leagues receive over £12.5 million.
This initiative follows BGC's recent criticism of the methodology used in the Great Britain Gambling Survey (GSGB), which BGC believes may overstate gambling participation and related harms.
BGC believes that accurate data is essential for assessing gambling behaviors and supporting research, prevention, and treatment plans. Over the past four years, BGC members have donated £172.5 million to address gambling-related harms.
