Gambling Ads in the Premier League Did Not Decline

According to the latest study by the University of Bristol, 15,571 gambling marketing messages were identified during the opening weekend of the 2026/27 Premier League season. This figure is 41.57 percent higher than in 2023, but remained below the combined totals for 2024 and 2025.

A voluntary restriction that took effect at the start of the season almost completely removed betting sponsor logos from the front of shirts. However, the researchers noted that live broadcast exposure outside sponsorship promotions fell by only 10.5 percent compared with the average of the last three years. According to the authors, the shirt restriction did not stop exposure entirely but shifted it to other areas. The study does not definitively prove that this effect is causal.

The research counted 563 messages on shirt sleeves and training kit, which was 362.7 percent above the 2023-2025 annual average. Of the 11,205 messages in live broadcasts, they came from 2,249 separate marketing visuals.

On social media, of the 1,522 posts and advertisements examined, most were paid Facebook and Instagram ads. Some 76 percent of organic posts were classified as content where it was not clearly understood that it was advertising. The researchers reported that the content reached 16.6 million people aged 18 to 24, and that most of this group were men.

The report recommends a legal requirement, a whistle-to-whistle broadcast ban, standards for gambling harm warnings, and restrictions on paid advertising targeting those under 25. The Premier League said it takes its responsibilities seriously and defended its existing controls.