‘The Beautiful Game’ – is a nickname that captures the uniqueness of the sport of football like no other. Whether it is the mesmerising ‘tiki-taka’ of Barcelona’s golden era (2008-12), the breathtaking drama of Liverpool’s miraculous comeback in the 2005 Istanbul Champions League final or the fairy tale of Leicester City’s 2015/16 Premier League triumph, these moments have showcased how football is more than just a sport, it is the world’s most captivating soap opera.
Regardless of a clubs notoriety, division or size of the crowd, any goal, last minute tackle or a flash of brilliance can feel as monumental as any moment from the biggest of stages. It is these sparks of joy that ignite the passion in the fans, consistently drawing them back to the terraces to revel in the drama and pure emotion of football once again.
With the magic and beauty of the sport, there have been plentiful cases of the remarkable unpredictability of the game that has caused fans to become so passionate and involved with the sport. English football especially is not short of unpredictability with many ‘David and Goliath’ moments that have been pivotal in the rise of gambling spectators. Betting on football has added that extra layer of excitement, with fans not only being able to enjoy the sport but also have the chance to win money from their predictions.
Undeniably, football and gambling have developed an increasingly complex relationship, with both receiving significant benefits. However, the rise of frequent gambling-related issues within the sport and constant changes in regulations has placed substantial pressure on both sporting organisations and gambling companies. Most teams now possess widespread gambling advertisements and sponsorships, which many believe has led to a normalisation of gambling in the sport due to the constant exposure.
Football is undoubtedly the most popular sport and transcends past cultural and language barriers, connecting the world. When it comes to football and sport in general, the English Premier League stands out as the most watched and widely followed league in the world, reaching over 650 million homes and boasting 1.87 billion global followers. Moreover, the Premier League outshines it’s European big five leagues, generating nearly £6 billion – almost doubling second place. This huge global audience has meant that the Premier League has become one of England’s biggest exports and most lucrative sporting organisations. However, due to its strong ties with gambling companies, it has also become one of the ethically scrutinised sports.
Connor O’Neill, a sports journalist with over a decade of experience, currently covers both Everton and Liverpool for the Liverpool Echo. When speaking on the strong association, he expressed his concerns over the complicated relationship that football and gambling has developed.
“Gambling and sports has become an unnecessary evil partnership in the sense of gambling companies making a lot of money and as of this have a lot of money to put back into the sport.”
Football is the most popular sport in England for betting activity, with gambling companies generating over £1.1 billion in revenue annually. As of the competitive nature of the gambling market, numerous gambling companies have to frequently outbid one another to secure a gambling sponsorship from a top team. The global reputation and huge audiences allow for many eyes to see their company making football clubs a hot commodity to sponsor, with front-of-shirts, sleeves and stadiums all being sponsored.
Brighton and Hove Albion owner, Tony Bloom, stated that “gambling companies pay the best, so it’s a difficult decision to turn them down”. Which was furthered by Aston Villa’s chief executive who reportedly told a fan consultation group that gambling companies often pay double the money offered by other sponsors. While ethically, football clubs may want to drift away from gambling sponsors, undeniably the inflated fees they receive make it hard to refuse.
O’Neill spoke on his concerns about the increasingly inflated fees that gambling companies are willing to pay for sponsorships, acknowledging the difficult position that clubs may find themselves. He understands the pressure clubs may feel to accept these lucrative offers, even if they come with ethical dilemmas.
He said: “Sports clubs and organisations want the best commercial deals; they want to make the most money they can, and I think that a lot of the time we see that not many companies can offer what gambling companies can in terms of what they are willing to pay in terms of sponsorship in football and obviously horse racing.
“It’s become an unnecessary evil partnership in the eyes of many sporting organisations and clubs because they look at it with the amount of money gambling companies earn and are willing to invest – no one can really get close to that in what they are offering from a commercial perspective.
“If they have got a betting company on the front of their shirt, that is willing to pay a lot more money than the others, then that could give you the best possible chance of signing a 30 goal per season forward who could win you the league or get promoted – it’s hand in hand isn’t it.”
Last year, The Premier League announced a groundbreaking agreement to ban front-of-shirt sponsorship deals with gambling companies from the summer of 2026. This announcement meant that the English top-flight division became the first professional sports league to voluntarily agree to restrict betting sponsorships. Currently, the gambling industry dominate as a shirt sponsor with 11 out of the 20 (55%) teams in the Premier League having a front-of-shirt sponsor, three more than the season prior to the announcement.
While this may initially appear to be a positive step, clubs will still be permitted to have gambling sponsorships in other areas, such as their kit’s sleeves, as well as through the stadium and pitch side advertisement. This has led to scepticism amongst fans and gambling charities, raising questions about the true intent behind the decision.
Connor gave his view on The Premier League’s decision to ban front of shirt sponsors, claiming it to be a half-job that was simply a ticking box exercise. He also went on to express his concerns on whether similar action will be taken to the rest of the English Football Pyramid, which is currently heavily sponsored by SkyBet.
“It's one of them, where it looks like they are doing something, but they are not really doing anything about it. Yes, it’ll be good that it won’t be at the front of the shirt of clubs, but ultimately there still will be a lot of advertisements around and it’ll still be on the sleeves or the shorts.
“It felt good when it came out - It looks like they are trying to fix the problem. But if anything, it will do very little to quash gambling, and this is a mere tick box exercise to make it look as if they are doing something.”
“Another issue you think of is that The Championship, League One and League Two are known as the SkyBet Championship, SkyBet League One and the Sky Bet League Two. And we’re not sure if that is going to change.”
Just months after making a reported £55 million pound move from AC Milan to Newcastle United, 23-year-old midfielder, Sandro Tonali, was banned for 10 months from football activities for his involvement in gambling and was formally diagnosed with a gambling addiction. This ban came just one month after Newcastle announced a new multi-year partnership with gambling company, BetMGM. In the same year, England international Ivan Toney was banned and diagnosed with a gambling addiction, while West Ham’s Lucas Paqueta faced an investigation into his gambling activities.
These situations have highlighted how footballers, despite their profiles and wealth, can fall victim to a gambling addiction. They also provided a valuable challenge to the common misconception that gambling addiction is solely associated with deprived areas seeking to win big, and that gambling does not discriminate. Fans online have not been quiet on the irony of young players falling victim to gambling addiction at clubs heavily sponsored by gambling companies, underscoring the harsh reality of this addiction.
Connor shared his perspective on the Tonali incident as a journalist, highlighting the fact that it has shed important light on the fact that addiction can affect anyone, not just those from impoverished areas.
“The issue around gambling being associated with low-income areas – I think that’s there because that is where you see it the most. Someone who lives in a deprived area probably cannot afford to lose a thousand pounds from gambling in a week - they are affected more than someone who lives in Mayfair in London or Chelsea who could be in a position to lose five thousand pounds.
“The Tonali one was a good example that it can affect anyone, anywhere at any time and I don’t think that that should be forgotten – just because you’re rich and famous, just because you have a good job, it does still mean you can have a gambling addiction it doesn’t mean you have to be from a low-income area to have one.
“It’s eye opening and it should open people’s eyes that you can be anywhere in the world in any walk and still have a gambling addiction.”
The current landscape of sports journalism has been increasingly influenced by the rising prominence of betting odds and gambling tips. Numerous top companies now frequently publish match previews that feature gambling advice. While this is not a new phenomenon, it raises concerns about the role sports sites play in the battle of gambling addiction. As throughout football clubs have faced scrutiny, it is equally crucial to question whether sports media publishers should consider the ethical implications of their content and in return the potential impact it could have on their audience.
Connor currently works at the Liverpool Echo, owned by Reach PLC, who have a betting tips section on their website. Notably under the heading it includes “Remember to gamble responsibly and not to bet more than you can afford” and includes GambleAware’s website address when clicking onto an article. However, it does advertise bookies and sign up deals to gambling sites.
Reflecting on the current state of sports journalism, Connor expressed his view on the frequent inclusion of betting odds, noting that the demand for this type of content is at an all-time high and that, to remain competitive, they must adapt to this growing trend.
“The demand outweighs most people’s thinking, you look to how many people will flock to a bookies on the weekend to place bets, how many people will look for tips. Ultimately the news publication will just feed what their audience want.
“It’s a difficult one that, because I think, there probably is a ground where you could argue that you’re not playing your part, but in the world we live in, demand far outweighs anything else and I think that the demand is there in people wanting to know tips and horse racing tips etc – so I think ultimately we live in a world where demand matters most and that is why it is used.”
However, he acknowledged that, similarly to football clubs, sports sites are often corned into meeting the audiences demand, leaving them little choice: “There could be an argument to say news organisations shouldn’t respect that but as I say they will argue that they are doing nothing wrong and just giving the customer what they want which is ultimately what football clubs will argue.”
To gain a broader understanding of football fans’ view on gambling sponsors, I conducted vox pops around Merseyside, asking supporters for their opinions on their favourite clubs stance on the issue.
Merseyside is currently home to three professional football clubs that reside within the English football pyramid: Everton Football Club, Tranmere Rovers and Liverpool Football Club. Currently, Everton’s primary sponsor, featuring on the front of their shirts since June 2022, is online betting company, Stake. In August 2024, Liverpool also announced a new betting partnership with Ladbrokes, where although not on the kit, the company’s logo will start to be put all around their home stadium. Notably, Tranmere Rovers goes against this after they became the first professional club to join The Big Step campaign in 2020 and remain committed to fighting against gambling sponsorships.
Mark, 43, is an Everton fan who expressed his disapproval of the cub’s main sponsor, particularly regarding the impact it has on purchasing shirts for his son. He said: “It’s frustrating really, I want to get my lad a proper Everton kit, but I can’t. Instead, I am forced to get him one where the front is completely blanked out because kids aren’t allowed a gambling sponsor. He wants to look like his heroes and can’t.”
Ryley, 22, is a Tranmere fan who is glowing with pride on his sides disapproval of gambling sponsors, stating: “We’re the smallest club out of the so called big three in Merseyside and we’re the first to refuse gambling sponsors, I’m definitely proud of that.
“Everton and Liverpool can afford to spend 30 or 40 million on a player but can’t afford to think about their fans and refuse something that could be damaging. We may not be nowhere near their level, but at least there’s a sense that our fanbase is cared for.”
Claire, 37, says how all top clubs have a gambling sponsor and that Liverpool would be falling behind if they refused. She said: “I’m glad our team doesn’t have it plastered on our shirts like them across the park [Everton], I wouldn’t want my kids or family advertising them like.
“We do have a gambling sponsor – I think Ladbrokes – but all clubs do really it’s just became a part of the game at this point, it’s wrong but it’d probably be self-sabotaging for us to not have one.”
If you, or anyone you know, is suffering from gambling-related harms – recovery is possible.
Applications for help can be made through gordonmoody.org.uk, you can also speak to an advisor by calling 01384 241292 or emailing: help@gordonmoody.org.uk
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