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Entain has called for an immediate ban on sponsorship deals between sports bodies and unlicensed gambling operators, urging the Premier League and other governing bodies to act voluntarily ahead of the 2026/27 season rather than wait for legislation.
The operator welcomed the UK government’s consultation on banning unlicensed gambling sponsorships, which opened this week, and said any ban should cover all advertising and promotional rights, including perimeter boards, shirt sponsorships and digital assets.
The intervention lands against a fast-growing illegal market. Research consultancy H2GC found the illegal gambling market’s turnover grew from £5bn to £16.6bn between 2019 and 2025, and forecast it to double again by 2028. Separate analysis by the Betting and Gaming Council and the World Advertising Research Centre found unregulated operators are set to account for 47.7% of all UK gambling advertising spend in 2026/27.
We welcome the launch of this consultation, which was expected earlier this year and represents another important step forward in tackling illegal gambling. Unlicensed gambling operators are often little more than fronts for organised crime. They target vulnerable consumers, pay no UK tax, and ignore safeguards licensed operators must provide. The government has rightly recognised that these sponsorship arrangements create risks for consumers and for sport.
Stella David, Entain CEO, called on clubs, leagues and governing bodies to end relationships with unlicensed operators immediately rather than wait for legislation. She urged the government and UK Gambling Commission to follow the Financial Conduct Authority, which has warned sporting bodies that sponsorship deals with unregulated crypto companies could become worthless within months.
Wider digital threat
Entain said action against illegal gambling must extend beyond stadium sponsorship. Research the company published this month found unlicensed operators using social media, streaming platforms, tipsters, influencers and affiliate networks to reach UK consumers, including audiences with a significant proportion of under-18s.
Some platforms have started to move. X banned gambling paid partnerships under an updated commercial content policy in February, while Meta faced scrutiny after being found to have generated $3bn from fraudulent ads that included illegal gambling content.
Sponsorship restrictions should not become a substitute for tackling the wider digital ecosystem that enables illegal gambling operators to grow their presence in Great Britain.
Entain has written to Richard Masters, the Premier League’s chief executive, urging an immediate voluntary ban on sponsorship and advertising by unlicensed operators, starting with LED perimeter boards. It has also written to David Kogan OBE, chair of the Independent Football Regulator, setting out governance and licensing reforms. The BGC also welcomed the consultation, with a spokesperson saying unlicensed operators should not be able to use British sport to promote illegal gambling to UK consumers.
Years of white label deals
Unlicensed sponsorship has drawn criticism in English football for years. Many Premier League clubs have carried deals with obscure Asian-facing operators little known to British consumers, including Fun88, BK8 and 8Xbet. Reporting by Josimar Football and others has documented brands with fictional executives and, in some cases, links to organised crime and forced-labour compounds.
Many of these arrangements operated through a loophole that allowed sponsorship via a white label presence in the country. Provider TGP Europe, linked to disgraced tycoon Alvin Chau, became notorious for such deals. TGP surrendered its licence in May 2025 after the UKGC told the supplier it must pay a £3.3m penalty and make a number of changes to continue operating.
Political attention grew after Leicester City sponsor BC.Game faced having its licence revoked by Curaçao authorities in 2024, prompting gambling minister Twycross to say more should be done to clamp down on white label deals. The debate has since fed into a broader UK regulatory agenda, as documented in the 2025 iGaming regulatory review.
Reports put the number of Premier League clubs carrying some form of unlicensed gambling sponsorship at 18 of 20 in the 2025/26 season. The consultation that opened this week will test whether ministers move to close the route entirely, and how quickly clubs act before the new campaign begins.
Source: Entain
