Entain Pushes Independent Regulator to Ban Unlicensed Gambling Sponsors

Entain has taken its fight against unlicensed betting sponsorships in English football to the Independent Football Regulator (IFR), urging the body to intervene and shut down partnerships between Premier League clubs and unlicensed gambling firms. The move marks a renewed effort by Stella David, CEO of Entain, who previously appealed to Premier League CEO Richard Masters on the issue.

“Premier League clubs are being sponsored by criminal gambling firms,” David told the IFR. “The Independent Football Regulator can stop this tomorrow by simply acknowledging that unlicensed gambling companies targeting UK customers through English football are breaking the law – plain and simple.”

The IFR, established under the 2025 Football Governance Act, has the power to prevent clubs from accepting income linked to serious criminal activity. Entain argues that unlicensed operators violate the 2005 Gambling Act by allowing UK customers to place bets on their platforms. The company has proposed a four-point plan for the IFR:

• Confirm in guidance that income from unlicensed gambling operators is connected to serious criminal misconduct.
• Require club directors to verify the licensing status of gambling partners.
• Strengthen the Football Club Corporate Governance Code to address reputation risks from commercial deals.
• Publish general guidelines for clubs on gambling sponsorships.

“The regulator does not need any new powers, new legislation, or even a new rule to make this happen,” David stated. “We are asking the regulator to define and apply it before the next season begins.”

The Department of Media, Culture and Sport (DCMS) is also reviewing restrictions on unlicensed betting sponsorships in UK sports, with the Illegal Gambling Taskforce, chaired by Baroness Twycross, consulting on a potential ban. Meanwhile, the Premier League has already restricted betting advertising on the front of shirts from the end of the 2025/26 season, though other advertising spaces remain open to unlicensed firms.

The black-market betting sector is growing rapidly, with research from H2 Gambling Capital estimating the offshore betting market at £16.6 billion in 2025, up from £5 billion in 2019. The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) warns that illegal operators are becoming more aggressive in targeting UK customers, with 1.5 million UK residents staking £4.3 billion annually on unlicensed sites.

Grainne Hurst, CEO of the BGC, said, “What we are seeing is a harmful black market scaling up at pace. Illegal operators are becoming more sophisticated, more visible, and more aggressive in how they reach UK customers. That should concern anyone who cares about consumer protection.”

Hurst added that if the regulated sector becomes less competitive, customers will not stop betting but will simply shift to unlicensed platforms. The issue is particularly acute in football, where betting sponsorships are highly lucrative. While clubs like West Ham United and Aston Villa have partnered with licensed operators, unlicensed firms like Stake, DE.BET, and 8xbet continue to exploit loopholes to maintain visibility. Despite losing their UK licenses, some firms claim their platforms are inaccessible to UK customers, allowing them to bypass restrictions.