Ladbrokes and Coral owner Entain has urged UK sports stakeholders and governing bodies to act immediately rather than waiting to be compelled by legislation in light of today’s consultation on illegal gambling sponsorships launched by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
While welcoming the news as an “important step forward” in tackling the prominence of illegal gambling in the UK, the gambling multinational urged all relevant sports stakeholders to strike preemptively and voluntarily cut ties with sponsors who are not currently licensed by the Gambling Commission.
Meaningful action is not expected at least until the end of the year at the earliest, as the DCMS-mandated consultation will run until 9 September, which then would inform the creation of a legislative framework, which then has to be presented to Parliament.
Readers are reminded that while a number of Premier League clubs have voluntarily agreed to phase out their front-of-shirt gambling sponsors from the 2026/27 season onwards, remnants of unlicensed gambling brands on some of the teams’ kits will still be present, such as the case of Everton and Stake.
Stella David, Chief Executive Officer of Entain, said: “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.
“Given that principle has now been established, we believe clubs, leagues and governing bodies should act immediately and voluntarily end relationships with unlicensed operators rather than wait for legislation to compel them to do so.
“The Government and the Gambling Commission should follow the example set by the Financial Conduct Authority, which has separately written to sporting bodies about unregulated crypto companies – warning that sponsorship deals could be rendered worthless within months.”
Highlighting the proliferation of the black market in the UK, Entain brought forward a co-authored analysis from the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) and the World Advertising Research Center, which calculated that around 47.7% of all gambling marketing spend in the UK in 2026/27 will be generated by unlicensed operators, potentially outgrowing the spend of the regulated sector by 2028.
The LSE-listed operator added that action against illegal gambling should not be limited to on-pitch advertising, but should instead be incorporated into a broader strategy that covers all marketing channels, including those online.
Entain’s own research into online marketing trends during the World Cup uncovered a vast network of unlicensed operators advertising through social media and various streaming platforms, with their promotions often reaching under-18s.
Meta, owner of Instagram and Facebook, has been scrutinised in more than one country for allowing such marketing campaigns from unlicensed operators to run on its platforms.
Still, the DCMS consultation in the UK is only targeting sports sponsorships as it is, with any action in the digital space still up for debate.
As of now, any developments on that front are expected to come from the Illegal Gambling Taskforce, set up by the UK government earlier in January to bring together stakeholders from industries that can play a crucial role in destabilising the black market, including licensed operators and payment providers.
Entain flying the licensed market’s flag
As seen just by the company’s work outlined above, Entain has been the flagbearer for the licensed market when it comes to the fight against unlicensed operators in the UK.
The company has repeatedly warned about channelisation rates, referencing black market advertising and increased tax rates when claiming that the licensed sector is losing players to harmful and illegal operators.
It recently called on the Independent Football Regulator (IFR) to intervene on these operators partnering with clubs in the UK, stating back in May that the IFR “can stop this tomorrow”.
This ultimately came to no avail, as did the company’s letters penned to six 2025/26 Premier League sides who had front-of-shirt deals with gambling companies not licensed in the UK.
As mentioned, the upcoming season will see at least one of those clubs in Everton continue to keep a non-UK bookie as a partner, though Stake has been forced to at least move its sponsor to a sleeve one.
Though today’s news represents a landmark step in progress for Entain and the rest of the UK Gambling Commission’s licensed operators, the company’s work to unearth the scale and dangers of the black market remains relatively unrewarded.
The FTSE 100 constituent had also previously written directly to Richard Masters, the Premier League’s Chief Executive, about these risks – a call which the operator did not mention had been responded to.
David concluded: “Today’s consultation represents a significant step forward, but it also highlights the need for a broader strategy.
“The Government has correctly identified the risks associated with unlicensed gambling sponsorship in sport, yet many of these same operators continue to reach consumers through online channels.
“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.”
Article contributions from Patrick Killeen
