By the end of the 2025–26 season, eight teams—including West Ham United will no longer have any betting sponsors like the Betway on the front of their matchday shirts. Although teams must strike new agreements before the season is out. They will still be permitted to show sponsors on the sleeves of their shirts and in LED advertisements.
The total annual worth of the contracts that are affected by this change is £60 million. And they are with Bournemouth, Brentford, Southampton, Everton, Fulham, Leeds, and Newcastle. As part of the government’s examination of gambling legislation, the league. And its clubs, and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS) had discussions that led to the decision.
Before resigning in July, former Prime Minister Boris Johnson approved the changes to the Gambling Act of 2005, which delayed the documents’ release. The Premier League voluntarily accepted the adjustment, contrary to expectations that the government would forbid casino sponsorship.
Before resigning in July. Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson approved the changes to the Gambling Act of 2005, which delayed the documents’ release. The Premier League voluntarily accepted the adjustment, contrary to expectations that the government would forbid casino sponsorship.
The culture secretary, Lucy Frazer, described how these betting sponsors potentially affect young viewers. She said, “The vast majority of adults gamble safely but we have to recognise that footballers are role models. who have enormous influence on young people.”
Betway Faces These Kind Of Allegations For the Second Time
West Ham’s one of largest sponsors, Betway, was previously fined more than £400,000 for placing advertisements on the team’s website that were targeted towards children. The first sponsorship agreement between Betway and West Ham United owners David Gold and David Sullivan took place in 2015.
The betting company has served as the club’s main shirt sponsor for the last seven years. During its investigation, the Gambling Commission found that a section of the bookies’ website that linked to Betway’s logo also offered kids the chance to print out and colour a picture of a teddy bear.
From April 14, 2020, to November 6, 2021, the logo was shown. It was also visible from October 24, 2021, until November 15, 2021, on the Young Hammers at Home page.
A West Ham spokesman stated, ‘The Betway logo appeared on a web page on the West Ham United website containing content that was targeted at Under 18s. Upon identification, it was immediately removed.”
Betway’s penalties will give those calling for a total ban on betting-related sponsorship in sports additional justification. On the other side, eight Premier League clubs have betting companies as sponsors of their uniforms, equipment, or facilities who have now decided to part ways.
