Entain welcomes gvt interest in limiting unlicensed gambling firms' ads

• The UK government is tightening its grip on gambling advertising, with a front-of-shirt sponsorship ban set to take effect after this Premier League season
• Entain CEO Stella David has slammed clubs promoting unlicensed betting brands, calling out what she described as a growing "black market" presence in English football
• The Premier League is now under pressure to go further and immediately cut ties with illegal gambling operators

The government is actively looking to crack down on gambling ads in the United Kingdom, with a pending front-of-shirt sponsorship ban looming at the end of this Premier League season.

Stella David says banning illegal gambling ads is the way to go

While sleeve sponsorships remain, and they can feature gambling companies’ logos and names, a far more pressing issue is who can advertise.

Right now, some offshore companies have been pushing their signage and branding in front of the millions of domestic and international audiences watching Premier League games, something that has to end.

Now, Entain CEO Stella David has similarly criticized the proliferation of gambling ads that come from unlicensed sportsbooks and gambling websites in the United Kingdom.

In a vehement statement, the chief executive has not minced her words in criticizing specific teams, saying:

"On Saturday, 28 February, Bournemouth hosts Sunderland in a ‘black market derby,’ with both teams sporting gambling sponsors without UK licenses on their shirts. It exemplifies the rise of black market gambling in the UK, the Premier League’s complicity in it, and the very real harms at stake."

She added that Entain fully welcomes the government’s decision to further focus on eliminating these ads through a public consultation, cautioning that any follow-up enforcement may take months.

Entain’s boss finds the attempt to lobby for these ads reprehensible

This is why, David argued, the Premier League should step in now and seek to prohibit these partnerships. She has particularly questioned the Premier League’s commitment to ensuring that illegal gambling is not seen as part of advertisement partnerships, saying that the league may have lobbied the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to still allow these kinds of arrangements.

"Given the position outlined by the government today, I hope you will recognise that this position is now untenable," she added. Entain, she further argued, had made a choice and the company was on the side of fans and sport, as well as sport integrity - on the side of responsible and regulated gambling.

"I urge the Premier League to lead by example and do the same, committing to a full ban on all sponsorship and advertising partnerships with illegal gambling operators in the UK, beginning with LED perimeter boards immediately, followed by all clothing from the 2026/2027 season," David wrapped up.

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