Brentford fans want to see gambling sponsorship go

Brentford Independent Association of Supporters (BIAS) has conducted a social media poll which saw 70% of respondents oppose the team’s existing and future partnerships with representatives of the gambling industry.

BIAS stated that 783 people have taken part in the polling and they have overwhelmingly voted against gambling and betting sponsorships and signage appearing on the team’s sportswear in any form. Brentford’s current deal with Hollywood Bets is set to expire in 2024.

After this date, BIAS and the broader public demand that their club should make a clear commitment to dropping sports gambling partnerships from their repertoire. This comes in the context of the meeting which took place on Tuesday with all 20 Premier League clubs deciding on whether they should opt into a voluntary ban on gambling sponsorships.

BIAS argued that gambling has been known to have an adverse effect on health, relationships, and financial standing, leading people into serious debt. BIAS further insisted that Brentford should do right by its fans by pulling out of similar arrangements.

While they have a point, Brentford is just one of the newest teams in the Premier League, and as such, it will face serious financial challenges to secure the talent necessary to perform well. Traditional sponsors are reluctant to offer the same cushy deals as do sports betting companies, which is mostly why teams feel pressured to accept those partnerships in the first place.

Recently, Fulham signed a partnership with non-fungible token platform Sorare. While not as contested, blockchain and NFT sponsorships are often looked at with suspicion in the United Kingdom. In the meantime, the Premier League’s teams have decided to go with a voluntary ban.

At press time, there has been no news about Premier League teams agreeing to opt out of gambling sponsorships at least for now. Given how dynamic the situation is, though, this may change very soon. Brentford fans are not the only ones who insist on cutting these ties. Previously, more than 20,000 fans signed a petition for Everton to drop its existing gambling sponsorships as well.

Image credit:Brentford FC