A lot has been written and said about the increasing presence of gambling sponsorship in the Premier League, considering the fact that the clubs did actually agree on a plan to decrease the presence of such sponsors as from the start of the 26/27 season. It was to be expected however, that there would be an increase before that self-defined regulatory measure took place, and at the same time we can also expect to see an increase in back-of-shirt or sleeve gambling sponsorship presence in 2026/2027, as the only thing that will no longer be allowed is the front-of-shirt sponsorship.
The Premier League clubs, along with the EFL, FA and WSL, have now approved a code of conduct in which they agree to reinvest a significant part of the commercial income from gambling sponsorship into infrastructure and programmes which benefit the community and the fans. This code will be implemented as from the start of the new season.
Creating such a code of conduct can be the way forward in the future for other leagues outside of the UK too, as the current regulations on gambling sponsorship are currently being decided on locally. We see a lot of differences between the leagues in Europe regarding these regulations, with for instance the Netherlands implementing a complete ban on gambling sponsorship at the end of the 24/25 season. In Italy, this has been the case for a couple of years now. You can see teams playing in European competitions who have to change their jerseys based on the country they're playing in.
The way the Premier League is now trying to counter the criticism its clubs have been receiving in recent weeks and months, appears to be an worthwile initiative, and something to keep an eye on and maybe learn from.
Protecting those who are vulnerable by investing in addiction prevention, as well as supporting community, CSR-related and sustainability initiatives with this commercial income, can be a positive evolution towards the future.
I've added some articles on the topic in the comments.
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4moDoes this also include Talksport spending entire football match commentaries giving the latest odds ?