Britain stands at a familiar crossroads. Once again, the Premier League, that supposed temple of national sporting pride, finds itself colonised by offshore gambling predators who exploit every regulatory gap left by years of elite complacency.
The government has at last launched its consultation on preventing unlicensed operators from sponsoring sports clubs, including Premier League sides. What should have arrived in spring now emerges in mid-July, only after Everton secured a three-year sleeve sponsorship with Stake.com. The delay speaks volumes.
Regulatory failure with consequences
Stake.com surrendered its UK gambling licence in 2025. It operates beyond British rules on customer protection, financial vulnerability checks, responsible advertising and fair terms. Unlicensed operators remain free to sponsor through sleeve deals and other visible arrangements that deliver significant brand exposure to millions.
The Gambling Commission warned Everton and other clubs as far back as February 2025. Club officers risk prosecution, fines or imprisonment for promoting such sites to British consumers. Yet the deal went ahead. This is not mere oversight. It is the predictable result of a system that has allowed foreign entities to purchase footholds in the heart of British sport.
We know the real harm that unregulated gambling can cause, exploiting vulnerable people and leaving consumers without the protections they deserve. This consultation, alongside the work of our Illegal Gambling Taskforce, shows how seriously this government is taking the issue. We will not hesitate to act where we see people being put at risk.
Baroness Twycross, the gambling minister, delivered those words in February. Action has taken rather longer. A government spokesperson put it more bluntly on 12 July: it is not right for unlicensed operators to sponsor major football clubs, raising their profile and directing fans toward unregulated sites.
The human cost of elite indifference
Unlicensed operators have been linked to organised crime. They leave customers exposed to fraud and identity theft. They do not answer to British standards. While the Premier League has committed to removing gambling sponsorship from the front of shirts by the end of the 2025-26 season, sleeve and other deals continue to flood the stands with messages that normalise predation.
