Betfred ends support for Super League, cites mounting regulatory pressure

• Betfred ends support for Super League, the rugby league in the UK
• This comes after nine years of supporting the sport and league
• Betfred and owner Fred Done cited the tougher operational conditions licensed businesses face

Betfred has officially ended its support for the Super League, a rugby competition, and will no longer provide financial aid to the organization, the company confirmed this week. The support ends after 9 years, with Betfred announcing its first sponsorship campaign in 2017.

Betfred confirms end of support for Super League after 2026 season

Betfred has cited the mounting tax pressure in the United Kingdom as the reason why the company is deciding to do away with its support for the competition, and it is the latest cost-trimming decision undertaken by the firm, after Betfred previously confirmed that it is closing more than a hundred betting shops as part of a broader plan.

Once the 2026 season deal is wrapped, Betfred won’t be extending its sponsorship into the new year, with Fred Done, owner of Betfred, saying that the decision was made with a "heavy heart."

Rugby Football League interim CEO Rhodri Jones has said that the sport and the league were extremely grateful to Fred Done and Betfred for their support over the years.

Betting and gaming companies in the United Kingdom have faced two difficult moments brought on by legislators - one is the increase of the remote gaming duty that went up to 40% from previously 21% in April 2026, and the other is the general betting duty of 25% which will be introduced in 2027.

This has forced many companies to start thinking about how to slash costs, with a popular argument in the industry that, regardless of which areas the increased and new taxes targeted, the effect would be felt across the entire portfolio of licensed companies - from online operations to land-based venues to sports sponsorships.

"Regrettably, following last year’s extremely disappointing Budget, and the ensuing combination of tax rises and wage inflation that led directly to the 132 shop closures we announced in July, it has been necessary to review all Betfred spending," Done further commented on the current operational climate and these same challenges faced by the sector.

Betfred is hardly the only company to have engaged in such cost-trimming exercises. Entain, another major in the UK gambling market, has also announced that it will be slashing up to 400 jobs from its Customer Care department only recently

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