Half of the Premier League’s 20 clubs have sponsorship or advertising deals with unlicensed gambling companies, which could become illegal in the UK next year under proposed government plans. A government consultation on banning sponsorship from gambling companies not licensed in the UK is set to close this week. Licensed operators such as Ladbrokes and William Hill are now in a potential conflict with the Premier League, which could cost clubs tens of millions of pounds. The league is believed to be pushing back against the ban, arguing that services offered by betting companies and online casinos primarily based in Asia are not available in the UK, though users with virtual private networks (VPNs) can access these services easily. According to an analysis by The Guardian, the number of top-flight clubs with commercial relationships with unlicensed gambling operators has increased from six to 10 over the summer. This rise may be partly due to the Premier League’s decision to voluntarily ban front-of-shirt sponsorship deals with gambling companies this season. For example, Everton signed a three-year sleeve sponsorship deal with the crypto casino Stake.com, while Fulham moved its sponsorship with SBOTOP from players’ shirts to their training kits. Eight other clubs, including Chelsea and Tottenham, have commercial deals that include advertising around their stadiums or player branding. One unlicensed company, 8XBet, which is licensed in Curaçao, has deals with several clubs, including Chelsea, Newcastle, Aston Villa, Ipswich, and Coventry. Unregulated betting has grown significantly in recent years, with unlicensed operators earning £379 million from UK users in the first half of 2025, according to the Campaign for Fairer Gambling. This accounts for 9% of the UK’s £8.2 billion online gaming market, up from 2% in 2022. The government is seeking to crack down on these unlicensed operators because they do not provide customer protections, such as affordability checks and spending limits, which licensed firms must offer. This lack of regulation has been linked to financial harm, addiction, and even suicide. Everton’s sponsorship deal with Stake.com has drawn particular attention, especially since Andy Burnham, the mayor of Manchester and a known fan of the club, attended their opening game of the season. Entain, one of the UK’s largest betting companies and owner of Ladbrokes, has written to all 10 Premier League clubs linked to unlicensed operators, highlighting the risks to football and society. The letter to Everton mentions Burnham’s connection to the club and warns that unlicensed operators do not provide safeguards like Gamstop self-exclusion, deposit limits, or affordability checks—measures that help prevent consumer harm. The letter also notes that Burnham’s support for Everton seems at odds with the government’s stance against unlicensed gambling agreements. Gambling minister Vicky Foxcroft is understood to have signaled that the government plans to introduce a ban on unlicensed sponsorship next year, though the Premier League may push to allow existing contracts, such as Everton’s, to continue. While the league has a strong financial incentive to protect its revenue, its resistance to cracking down on unlicensed operators carries risks. Unregulated betting companies are increasingly linked to pirated sports rights, with illegal streaming services often featuring ads for black-market bookmakers. The growth of these illegal streams threatens the Premier League’s £12 billion TV rights deals. A recent report by the Campaign for Fairer Gambling highlights the connection between sports piracy and unlicensed gambling, noting that 89% of illegal streams in the UK include ads for unregulated bookmakers. Football club sponsorships also play a key role in driving consumers to these unlicensed markets, according to a study cited in the government’s consultation.