English football leagues agree to socially responsible gambling sponsorship code of conduct
Code based around four principles for entering into deals with gambling firms will come into effect from the start of the 2024-25 season
A new code of conduct for gambling-related sponsorship deals has been formally adopted by the English Football League, the FA, Women’s Super League and the Premier League.
Coming into effect from the start of the 2024-25 season, the ‘Code of Conduct for Gambling Related Agreements in Football’ will follow a principal-based approach, with the aim of ensuring gambling sponsorships commit to being socially responsible and protect children and those at risk of gambling-related harm.
This action comes on the back of football’s sporting bodies agreeing a set of four guiding principles “to help shape a gambling sponsorship code of conduct for sport” following last year’s publication of the white paper into the Gambling Act 2005 review.
Starting with protection for minors and vulnerable groups, the code states that gambling sponsorship deals must be designed specifically to limit their reach and promotion to people under the age of 18 as well as those at risk of gambling-related harm.
The second principal is concerned with social responsibility, in that the respective gambling sponsorship “must be promoted and delivered in a socially responsible way” and include education and awareness messages related to gambling within its marketing.
Reinvestment, the third principal, specifies that the commercial income raised from sponsorships be ploughed back into “infrastructure and programmes that serve football fans and communities” such as stadiums, training facilities and grassroots opportunities for local communities.
The final principle concerns integrity within the sport, and aims to ensure any gambling-related sponsorship agreement does not “compromise the integrity of football competitions nor harm the welfare of those participants who take part in them”.
The code also specifies that no gambling marketing is visible on club websites in areas that are designed for children as well as no gambling logos on children’s replica kits.
It also includes a two-stage complaints procedure for failing to adhere to the principles, which stipulates that all complaints are to be directed to the competition or club in the first instance and should provide evidence of the failure and solutions.
The club or competition then has 12 weeks to resolve the issue and if it fails or the complainant is not happy with the outcome, only then will it be passed to the independent football ombudsman.
The code notes the ombudsman process the may take up to three months to review the complaint and provide a decision.
Last season, the Premier League voluntarily agreed to end front-of-shirt gambling sponsorship from the 2025-26 season.