Entain CEO Stella David has issued a high-profile challenge to the Independent Football Regulator (IFR), demanding a total ban on Premier League clubs accepting sponsorships from unlicensed gambling operators.
Speaking in response to the IFR’s Second Licensing Consultation, David argued that the current tolerance for black-market brands undermines the integrity of English football.
Criminality in the Premier League
Entain’s submission highlights a startling statistic: six teams in the Premier League currently maintain commercial deals with gambling brands that do not hold a UK license. David was blunt in her assessment:
“Premier League clubs are being sponsored by criminal gambling firms. The Independent Football Regulator can stop this tomorrow by simply acknowledging that unlicensed gambling companies targeting UK customers through English football are breaking the law – plain and simple.”
Proposed Governance Reforms
To rectify these “governance failures,” Entain proposed that club directors be required to sign an annual declaration verifying the license status of all commercial partners, with legal consequences for false attestation.
Entain, which holds several legitimate sponsorships itself, argues that the IFR already possesses the mandate to act under its remit to oversee the “commercial conduct of clubs.”
David emphasized that wait-and-see approaches are no longer acceptable:
“The regulator does not need any new powers, new legislation, or even a new rule to make this happen. In fact, it has already drafted one. We are asking the regulator to define and apply it before the next season begins.”
The call for action comes just months before a major shift in sponsorship rules; starting in August 2026, gambling logos will be prohibited from the front of match-day shirts, though sleeve sponsorships will remain permissible.
