On 23 February 2026, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (“DCMS”) announced that it will launch a consultation this spring on prohibiting sponsorship arrangements between British sports clubs, including Premier League clubs, and operators that are not licensed by the Gambling Commission.

The consultation has been launched in light of government’s concerns on the dangers posed by unlicensed gambling operators who do not adhere to laws and guidelines to protect consumers. Those protections include financial vulnerability checks, responsible advertising, fair terms, and data protection. The proposed new measures would mean gambling operators without an operating licence from the Gambling Commission would be restricted from entering into sponsorship arrangements with sports clubs. The consultation therefore aims to mitigate the risks associated with the illegal market and to help eliminate unfair competition for properly regulated firms.

The consultation builds on the Premier League’s April 2023 voluntary commitment to end front‑of‑shirt gambling sponsorship by the end of the 2025–26 season. Despite the commitment, gambling operators, including those that are unlicensed, can instead enter sponsorship deals in respect of shirt sleeves. Government believes that there is a strong case for stopping unlicensed sponsorship altogether given the possibility of driving consumers towards unlicensed sites operating outside the Gambling Commission’s regulatory protections.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said:

“When placing a bet on the big match, fans deserve to know the sites they’re using are properly regulated, with the right protections in place.

It’s not right that unlicensed gambling operators can sponsor some of our biggest football clubs, raising their profile and potentially drawing fans towards sites that don’t meet our regulatory standards.“

Gambling Minister Baroness Twycross said:

“We know the real harm that unregulated gambling can cause, exploiting vulnerable people and leaving consumers without the protections they deserve”

The consultation forms part of the government’s wide work on illegal gambling. In January, DCMS also launched a cross‑industry Illegal Gambling Taskforce . The taskforce will concentrate on (1) stopping illegal operators advertising on social media, (2) preventing payments to unlicensed sites, and (3) improving cross-agency collaboration.

Next steps

The consultation is expected to open in spring 2026. Please get in touch with us if you have any questions about the upcoming consultation.