The UK government (here the Department for Culture, Media and Sports) has opened a consultation on new rules that would ban sponsorship and advertising by gambling operators that are not licensed by the UK Gambling Commission. The proposed UK gambling sponsorship ban is designed to close a regulatory gap and strengthen consumer protection. Stakeholders can submit their views before the consultation closes on 9 September 2026.

• Under the proposal, sports clubs, leagues, venues and event organisers in Great Britain would no longer be allowed to accept sponsorship or advertising from unlicensed gambling operators. The ban would also cover shirt sponsorships, pitch-side advertising, naming rights and other commercial partnerships. The UK gambling sponsorship ban would be introduced through changes to secondary legislation under the Gambling Act 2005.
• The UK government said the current rules still allow some offshore operators to sponsor UK organisations if they prevent British customers from accessing their services. However, officials believe these restrictions can be bypassed, creating risks for consumers and undermining the licensed gambling market. The consultation also highlights concerns around financial crime and money laundering linked to unlicensed operators.
• Football is expected to be one of the sectors most affected, following a growing number of sponsorship agreements with offshore betting brands. The government’s preferred option is to introduce the new rules before the start of the 2027/28 football season in August 2027. A second option would allow existing contracts to continue until they expire, with a final deadline of August 2028.
• The proposed measures would apply across all sectors in Great Britain, not only sport, to prevent unlicensed operators from shifting their marketing to other industries. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said the government intends to “introduce a ban on unlicensed gambling sponsorship and advertising” to strengthen the regulatory framework.

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