Betting ads in the Premier League have increased despite the front-of-shirt ban

New research from the University of Bristol shows that gambling and betting ads remain widespread in Premier League broadcasts despite the ban on front-of-shirt sponsorship. In 2023, clubs had voluntarily agreed to remove betting companies from the front of match shirts.

Researchers recorded 15,571 ad messages during the opening weekend of the 2026/27 season. This figure is about 42 percent higher than in 2023. Gambling brands were seen on screen for a total of 5 hours and 16 minutes. Because each brand appearance is counted as a separate message, repeated ads push the total higher.

The ban reduced exposure to betting brands by 10.5 percent compared with the previous season. However, visibility on sleeve sponsorships and training wear rose by 362 percent. Of the messages detected in live matches, 72 percent came from pitchside boards.

Nick Harvey, a spokesperson for CEGA, which campaigns for an end to gambling ads, described the Premier League's move as opportunistic. Harvey argued that it was well known that ads could easily be shifted to sleeves, training wear and stadiums. Dr. Raffaello Rossi from the University of Bristol said the ban removed logos from the front of shirts but did not remove them from football.

In the four-year comparison, the Premier League stood out with an average of 2,449 gambling messages per match. This figure was 1,677 in Germany's Bundesliga and 483 in NBA and NHL broadcasts in the US.