Gambling companies have a massive grip on European football. New research shows that 66% of clubs in 31 top divisions have at least one betting-related sponsorship deal. That includes 296 out of 442 teams.
145 of those clubs feature gambling logos on the front of their shirts. Even in leagues where front-of-shirt gambling ads are banned, clubs are still finding ways to promote betting brands.
Clubs find loopholes to bypass front-of-shirt restrictions
The Premier League will ban front-of-shirt gambling sponsors starting in 2026. But clubs in other countries aren’t waiting. Many have already found creative ways to dodge similar rules.
In Belgium, the law now limits betting sponsors to sleeves and back-of-shirt spots. Yet teams like Club Brugge still display front logos — not with the original brand, but with sub-labels like “U-Experts,” a news app made by Unibet that links to their casino.
Italian clubs like Inter, Parma and Lecce use similar tactics, promoting Betsson.sport, AdmiralBet.news and BetItalyPay. These aren’t independent companies, but extensions of known betting operators.
Some clubs partner with blacklisted gambling brands
AC Milan struck a deal in 2024 with Boomerang Bet as a regional partner. The problem? Boomerang is blacklisted in Italy and lacks a legal license to operate there. Still, the brand was promoted, and neither Milan nor Boomerang responded to questions.
Across Europe’s five biggest leagues, 27 teams have deals with Asia-focused bookmakers. Some of these ads only show up if you visit club websites from Asia or use a VPN. In Italy, eight clubs use this method to quietly maintain deals.
Gambling ads still dominate through media despite shirt bans
Even without logos on the front of shirts, gambling promotion hasn’t slowed down. A study by the University of Bristol found that nearly 30,000 gambling ads aired during the Premier League’s opening weekend in 2024. That’s a 165% increase from the year before.
Less than 10% of those ads came from shirt sponsorships. The rest came through broadcast, stadiums, radio, and social media. The logo may shrink, but the message spreads wider.
WHO expert warns gambling firms rely on people going broke
Charles Livingstone, an expert for the World Health Organization, says the gambling industry doesn’t just want exposure — it needs it. “The more ads you see, the more likely you are to start gambling,” he explains.
Why does the industry keep spending millions on ads? “Because the best customers are the ones who lose everything. And they always need to find new ones.”