UK MPs want further Premier League gambling ads crackdown

A group of UK MPs has called on the Premier League to go further with its crackdown on gambling advertising.

In April, the Premier League announced a ban on all front-of-shirt gambling sponsorships by the end of the 2025-26 season, with eight clubs currently sponsored by companies in the industry.

However, the Culture, Media and Sport Committee has said the government should work with the Premier League to ensure the gambling sponsorship code of conduct contains provision to reduce the volume of gambling adverts in stadiums.

It added that a “higher proportion” of gambling advertising in stadiums should be dedicated to safer gambling messaging.

The CMS Committee also called on the government to “require sports governing bodies to publish the code without further undue delay.”

CMS chair Dame Caroline Dinenage MP said: “While gambling regulation should not overly impinge on the freedom to enjoy what is a problem-free pastime for the majority, more should be done to shield both children and people who have experienced problem gambling from what often seems like a bombardment of advertising branding at football and other sporting events.

“The government needs to go further than the proposals in the white paper and work with sports governing bodies on cutting the sheer volume of betting adverts people are being exposed to.”