LONDON: Premier League clubs have collecti­vely agreed to stop featuring gambling sponsorships on the front of football kits from the 2026-27 season, the English league said on Thursday.

Eight of the 20 clubs in the league currently have betting companies as shirt sponsors, including Newcastle United (Fun88), West Ham United (Betway) and Everton (Stake.com).

The UK government is expected to publish a white paper — a proposal for future legislation — on gambling regulation.

According to a report in The Times, ministers have signalled that the white paper will not include shirt sponsorship restrictions if the voluntary agreement was reached. The report added that sleeve deals are still permitted.

“Premier League clubs have today collectively agreed to withdraw gambling sponsorship from the front of clubs’ matchday shirts...,” the league said in a statement. “The announcement follows an extensive consultation involving the league, its clubs and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport as part of the Government’s ongoing review of current gambling legislation.

“To assist clubs with their transition away from shirt-front gambling sponsorship, the collective agr­ee­ment will begin at the end of the 2025/26 season.”

The Premier League added that it was working with other sports on “the development of a new code for responsible gambling sponsorship”.

Britain’s Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer welcomed the Premier League’s announcement.

“The vast majority of adults gamble safely but we have to recognise that footballers are role models who have enormous influence on young people.”

Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2023