A campaign aimed at ending gambling advertising and sponsorship in football, the Big Step, has called for the Premier League to end the sponsorship of gambling in their shareholders’ meeting taking place next week.
As it stands, none of the League’s “big six” clubs currently have gambling sponsorships, but 7 of the clubs in the League do.
The Big Step sent an open letter which outlined the doubts they have about self-regulation:
“Relying on clubs to self-regulate has not worked so far, the consequence being 700 gambling adverts in one Premier League match and the same brands appearing in kids sections on club websites, in matchday programmes, and in sticker books,
“We are saddened that the Gambling Act review white paper has been delayed yet again,” it said, “but the government are delaying the inevitable.
“We are in no doubt that one government one day will do what multiple European countries such as Spain, Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands have already done and restrict the obscene levels of gambling marketing in football.
The campaign made it clear that they are not trying to outlaw all gambling in football, but simply to reduce the amount of advertising surrounding the topic.
“We are not trying to stop your fans from having a bet on football, nor are we trying to completely end the relationship between gambling and football,
“Gambling should quite rightly be tolerated and available for adults should they wish, but it should not be promoted, especially in a globally adored league where young people make up a quarter of the audience.”
