Entain Presses for Immediate End to Sports Deals With Unlicensed Gambling Firms as UK Consultation Begins

The battle over gambling sponsorship in British sport has entered a new phase after Entain called on football authorities to stop accepting commercial partnerships with unlicensed betting operators before new laws take effect.

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The betting group threw its support behind the UK Government’s newly launched consultation on banning sponsorship arrangements involving unlicensed gambling businesses, arguing that the problem has already grown too large to wait for legislation. It is urging the Premier League, sports governing bodies and clubs to introduce their own voluntary prohibition ahead of the 2026/27 season.

Entain contends that illegal operators have increasingly used high-profile sporting partnerships to gain legitimacy with British audiences despite operating outside the country’s regulatory framework. In its view, those companies avoid UK taxation, ignore consumer protection rules required of licensed bookmakers and present wider risks linked to organised criminal activity.

The company wants the Government’s proposed restrictions to reach beyond shirt sponsorships. Advertising rights such as LED perimeter boards, digital promotions and other commercial assets should also fall within the scope of any ban, it argues, warning that limiting only the most visible forms of sponsorship would leave significant loopholes.

Illegal market continues to expand

Its intervention comes alongside fresh estimates pointing to rapid expansion in the illegal gambling market. Research from consultancy H2 Gambling Capital indicates turnover attributed to unlicensed operators has climbed from £5 billion in 2019 to £16.6 billion in 2025, with further growth projected over the next several years. Separate analysis commissioned by the Betting and Gaming Council suggests unregulated firms could account for almost half of all gambling advertising expenditure targeting UK consumers during the 2026/27 period, with spending expected to continue rising.

Entain argues that visibility through sport represents only one part of a much broader problem. The company says illegal operators have established extensive online marketing networks that include social media platforms, affiliate websites, influencers, betting tipsters and streaming services, allowing them to reach large audiences despite lacking UK licences. Its recent research also identified concerns that some of those channels attract significant numbers of under-18 users.

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Calls for broader enforcement

Government efforts to tackle the issue have expanded beyond sponsorship. Earlier this year, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport established an Illegal Gambling Taskforce bringing together technology companies, advertisers, payment providers and social media platforms to disrupt access to unlicensed operators. Entain believes the initiative should now move toward stronger enforcement, particularly against digital services that continue to facilitate advertising, payments or customer acquisition for illegal gambling businesses.

The company also pointed to regulatory action outside gambling as an example of how authorities could respond more quickly. It referenced warnings issued by the Financial Conduct Authority to sporting organisations over sponsorship agreements involving unregulated cryptocurrency firms, arguing that similar urgency should apply to gambling partnerships.

Letters sent to football authorities

Alongside its public appeal, Entain has written to Premier League chief executive Richard Masters requesting an immediate voluntary prohibition on sponsorship and advertising by unlicensed operators, beginning with LED perimeter advertising before the 2026/27 campaign starts.

A separate letter has also been sent to David Kogan, chair of the Independent Football Regulator, outlining governance and licensing changes that Entain believes would make it harder for illegal gambling businesses to use English football as a platform for attracting customers in Britain.

The Government’s consultation is expected to shape future legislation, but Entain is pressing sports organisations to move first, maintaining that the risks associated with unlicensed operators are already sufficiently established to justify immediate action rather than waiting for statutory requirements.

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Source: entaingroup.com