5 Premier League Clubs Exploit Loophole to Maintain Forbidden Gambling Sponsorships

“The Guardian” has revealed that five Premier League clubs — Sunderland, Aston Villa, Leeds United, Nottingham Forest, and Chelsea — are exploiting a regulatory loophole to continue working with unlicensed Asian betting operators, despite growing restrictions on gambling sponsorships in English football.

“The Guardian’s” investigation found that Chelsea, the No.4 favorite to win the 2025–26 Premier League title by the odds of best Premier League sportsbooks, while openly acknowledging their deal with 8Xbet, hide their partnership with Kaiyun Sports, which only becomes visible when fans access the club’s digital content from Asian IP addresses.

Similarly, Aston Villa announced a pre-season partnership with Nova88, yet the betting firm doesn’t appear among the club’s listed commercial partners. Leeds United, Nottingham Forest, and Sunderland have also displayed 8Xbet’s logos on in-stadium LED boards since the start of the current season.

When contacted for comment, Aston Villa, Leeds, Nottingham Forest, and Chelsea declined to respond, while Sunderland “politely declined to comment.”

These findings highlight how English football clubs are adapting to the tightening of gambling sponsorship rules — not by cutting ties with betting brands, but by restructuring visibility and access in ways that skirt domestic regulation.

Loopholes in UK’s Gambling Regulation

In May, the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) sent a letter to all professional clubs outlining updated requirements for gambling sponsorships. Under the revised framework, clubs are allowed to work with international betting brands as long as those brands don’t accept wagers in pounds sterling from UK customers and use geoblocking technology to block access from the UK.

This effectively allows operators based in Asia to use Premier League exposure for global branding, while remaining technically compliant with UK law. Critics argue that the rule fails to address the spirit of the sponsorship restrictions and undermines the Premier League’s own commitment to reducing gambling’s presence in football.

Mounting Scrutiny Ahead of 2026 Ban

The Premier League announced in 2023 that clubs would voluntarily phase out front-of-shirt gambling sponsors by the 2026–27 season, a move framed as a major step toward reform. However, advertising within stadiums, digital overlays, and international partnerships remain unregulated grey areas.

Industry experts warn that these “hidden” sponsorships risk damaging public trust. “What’s happening now is a game of optics — clubs are removing logos from shirts but still pocketing gambling money through indirect deals,” said one sports marketing analyst quoted by “The Guardian”.

Meanwhile, campaigners like “Clean Up Gambling” argue that such loopholes expose fans — especially younger audiences — to continued gambling promotion under the guise of foreign marketing.

Global Business Shielded by Geography

By exploiting regional regulations and geo-targeted visibility, clubs and operators are navigating an intricate web of compliance that makes enforcement difficult. In practice, a sponsorship deal invisible in London might be fully visible in Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur — and just as lucrative.

The Premier League’s global footprint makes such arrangements attractive, but also controversial. As the 2026 sponsorship phase-out approaches, this model could become the new template for offshore sports partnerships, raising the question of whether regulation can ever truly keep pace with globalization in sport.