Betting Company Sponsorship of English Premier League Clubs Soars by 1,000% in 22 Years

Since the 2002–03 season, bookmaker sponsorship in the Premier League (EPL), the highest division of men’s football in England, has increased by 1,000%. In 2024–25, there are 11 teams sponsored by betting companies, up from just one during 2002–03.

The Premier League, the top-tier football league in England and the world’s most-watched domestic football league overall (643 million people watch the live broadcasts of every match; in actuality, the league has more than 3.2 billion TV viewers globally), saw a remarkable 1,000% increase in bookmaker sponsorship between the 2002–03 season and the current one. Of the 20 participating clubs, the number of teams sponsored by businesses in the sector increased from one to 11 over this time.

Fulham F.C. was the first team to sign a contract with a bookmaker in the 2002–03 season. But their collaboration with Betfair was brief—it ended after just one season. It’s interesting to note that no Premier League team had bookmakers as sponsors in the following season. Thus, 2003–04 was the final season without these companies’ support for the league.

Sponsorship Total for Premier League in 2024–25 Sets New Record

That was then, and now is a very different reality. Premier League clubs have been sponsored by at least 42 different bookmakers over the years. Some of them even fund many teams at the same time, though. Betway, Bodog, Betfair, BC.Game, Sportsbet, and Stake are a few of the most well-known brands, all of which are considered excellent EPL betting sites.

In the Premier League, the 2024–25 season reached a new record when 11 clubs, or 55% of the teams, had bookies as their primary sponsor. This figure exceeded the marks set in the 2016–17 and 2019–20 seasons, when 10 clubs were supported by enterprises in the industry.

Sponsorships Involving Bookies Get Veto by EPL Clubs

The Premier League declared in April 2023 that the 20 clubs had voted to restrict bookmaker sponsorships starting in the 2026–27 campaign. This choice will result in a substantial change to the league’s sponsorship agreements.

Partnerships with betting corporations are expanding even with the impending ban. Teams that have either stayed or returned to the EPL, including Leicester City F.C., Southampton F.C., and Aston Villa F.C., have recently agreed to new sponsorship agreements for the season in progress.

It’s crucial to emphasize that only sponsorship on the jerseys of players would be affected by the ban. LED advertising around the pitch and sponsorships in the heats are still allowed. In addition, the Premier League will institute a three-year transition period when new short-term contracts may be negotiated in order to prevent lawsuits for contract violations. The league is creating a code of conduct concurrently to encourage responsible betting sponsorship.