The UK government is poised to crack down on unlicensed casinos sponsoring British sports teams, launching a consultation this week after criticism that delays allowed offshore gambling firms to secure lucrative deals with Premier League clubs. The consultation, led by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), was initially promised in February but stalled until now, according to well-placed sources.
Everton's deal with Stake.com triggers action
The urgency was underscored by Everton FC's three-year sleeve sponsorship deal with Stake.com, a crypto casino that surrendered its UK licence last year amid regulatory scrutiny. The Gambling Commission had previously warned clubs to reconsider such agreements, but the law currently does not prevent unlicensed operators from sponsoring British clubs. The consultation aims to close this loophole.
Stella David, CEO of Ladbrokes owner Entain, wrote to gambling minister Baroness Twycross in early June, warning that delays were prompting clubs to finalise deals with unlicensed firms. She urged the government to act, stating that these deals were "surely now being finalised." Everton's deal with Stake.com proved her correct within weeks.
Criticism from industry and officials
A senior industry source called on Andy Burnham, Manchester mayor and lifelong Everton fan, to condemn the deal. "Burnham became stridently anti-gambling when he became mayor of Manchester, but his own football club is taking money from an unregulated gambling company," the source said. "We face the prospect of our prime minister wearing an Everton shirt and becoming a billboard for a crypto casino, which would be outrageous."
Stake.com, one of the world's largest gambling companies, left the UK last year after its white-label partner TGP Europe surrendered its licence. The Gambling Commission had investigated Stake for promoting its brand via porn actor Bonnie Blue, who boasted of a stunt targeting "barely legal 18-year-olds." Stake's branding also appeared on other viral videos featuring violence and graphic content. Stake has said it did not consent to such use of its logo.
Concerns over illegal betting and tax revenue
David warned that some unlicensed casinos illegally take bets in the UK, profiting international criminal networks and depriving the Treasury of tax revenue. She called on the government to warn the Premier League that existing sponsorship deals might be cancelled mid-season if a ban results. Stake.com was not specifically referenced in her letter, and the company did not return a request for comment.
Stake previously sponsored Everton's front-of-shirt, but a voluntary ban on front-of-shirt deals with casinos and sportsbooks takes effect in 2026-27. This has shifted sponsorships to sleeves and training kits, while pitchside advertising remains unregulated. A government spokesperson said: "It's not right that unlicensed gambling operators can sponsor some of our biggest football clubs, raising their profile and potentially drawing fans towards sites that don't meet our regulatory standards."
Background on Stake's controversies
In 2022, an Observer investigation found British customers could easily bet with cryptocurrency on Stake despite crypto gambling being illegal in the UK. Stake said it adhered to rigorous anti-money laundering processes and shut down customers using VPNs to bypass controls. Everton declined to comment, and Andy Burnham did not respond to a request for comment.
