Report: Premier League calls on clubs to vote on a voluntary ban on gambling shirt sponsorship
The governing body of England’s top football league will hold a vote with clubs to phase out sponsors as white paper edges closer
The Premier League will reportedly ask clubs to vote on a voluntary ban on gambling shirt sponsors, which be phased out over the next three years if the vote passes, according to the BBC.
No timetable has been given for the vote, however it is understood that an email was sent to clubs on Monday, with a decision expected within the next week.
For this motion to pass, 14 out of the 20 Premier League clubs would need to vote in favour of this decision.
Currently, seven of the 20 Premier League clubs have gambling sponsors; this includes Europa League finalists West Ham United, who have a deal with Betway to appear on the front of its shirts.
Other Premier League teams with gambling sponsors on the front of their shirts include Brentford, Bournemouth, Everton, Leeds United and Newcastle.
For their return to the Premier League, Bournemouth signed up to be sponsored by Dafabet, while Everton recently faced a backlash from fans after announcing a deal with Stake.com.
As of yet, no club has commented publicly on the possible vote.
Earlier this week, reports suggested the Premier League would take matters into its own hands after it emerged a ban on gambling sponsorship may not feature in the upcoming white paper into the Gambling Act 2005.
The issue of football club sponsorships by gambling firms has been divisive over the last three years, with many gambling-related harm groups suggesting a link between sponsorships and the so-called normalisation of gambling, particularly among minors.
The English Football League has previously said that an overnight ban on gambling sponsorships of league clubs would be “catastrophic” in respect of lost revenue, which has become even more crucial following the damage caused by the pandemic.
However, the publication of the white paper has been delayed on several occasions due to the Covid-19 pandemic, issues arising from Brexit and the government’s response to the Ukraine crisis taking precedence.