Betting house sponsorships in the Premier League have grown 1,000% from the 2002-2003 season to 2024-2025, with 11 out of 20 teams supported by bets. Initially, only 1 club had financial support from companies in the sector in the competition.
The 1st team to sign a deal with a betting house was Fulham, in 2002-2003. The agreement with Betfair lasted only one season.
In the 2003-2004 season, no team had a betting house as a sponsor. It was the last year that this occurred in the most important football league in England.
At least 42 different betting companies have already taken on the master sponsorship of clubs in England. In some cases, they financed more than one team.
Among them are Betano, Betway, Bodog, Sportsbet, Betfair, BC.Game, Stake, among others.
Record in 2024-2025
The 2024-2025 season set a record in the number of clubs with bets as main sponsors. In practice, 55% of the teams have sponsorship from betting houses.
Previously, the record for teams with sponsors from the sector was recorded in the 2016-2017 and 2019-2020 seasons, both with 10 clubs supported by betting houses.
Ban on bets in the future
The Premier League will undergo a significant change in its sponsorships in the 2026-2027 season. In April 2023, the league issued an official statement informing that the 20 clubs had decided to ban master sponsorship from betting houses. The vote was held at a meeting that month.
Thus, the league is preparing for a major transformation in its sponsorship deals. Even with the impending ban, agreements with betting houses continue to increase. Teams like Leicester and Southampton, which were promoted to the first division of English football, and Aston Villa recently signed partnerships with betting houses for the current season. The ban will only affect the front part of the shirts.
Sponsorship on the sleeves and LED advertising on the side of the field will continue to be allowed. The measure ensures that clubs celebrate new short-term contracts with betting houses during a 3-year transition period, seeking to avoid lawsuits for breach of contract. Additionally, the Premier League is developing a code to promote “responsible” betting sponsorship.
Source: Poder 360
