Premier League clubs have this week collectively agreed to remove gambling sponsors from the front of matchday shirts by the end of the 2025/26 season.
The decision to reduce the prominence and overexposure of gambling companies from football is said to have been voluntary, with clubs still able to advertise betting brands on shirt sleeves, around stadiums and on advertising hoardings around the pitch.
There are currently eight English top-flight teams that still have betting brands as the primary sponsor on the front of their kits, but they will be allowed to secure shirt-front deals before the deadline.
Among those eight shirt sponsors alone, the clubs in question are said to earn around £60 million in revenue per year, but the impact it has on fans and young people, in particular, is an issue that has been continuously raised for some time now.
BREAKING: Premier League clubs collectively agree to withdraw gambling sponsorship from the front of clubs’ matchday shirts at the end of the 2025/26 season 👕 pic.twitter.com/ox1tKy2dCZ
The announcement comes after a consultation between the division, its 20 clubs and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport as part of the government’s ongoing review of current gambling legislation.
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Following the decision being confirmed on Thursday, 13 April, the Premier League is now set to become the first sports league in the UK to take such measures voluntarily and there has been a push to reduce gambling advertising throughout the footballing pyramid for some time now.
It was only in October this past year that Bolton Wanderers led the charge to phase gambling out of football and sport in general by severing all ties with any betting-related organisations.
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The league is now also working with other disciplines on the development of a new code for ‘responsible gambling sponsorship’ throughout British sport, with a full gambling white paper expected to be published by the government in the near future.
The decision looks to be a positive step for English football and one which could, in time, see a great impact around Europe and further afield.
Britain’s Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer welcomed the news, stating: “The vast majority of adults gamble safely, but we have to recognise that footballers are role models who have enormous influence on young people.
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“We want to work with institutions like the Premier League to do the right thing for young fans.”
Moreover, the push to reduce the reach that betting companies isn’t just happening in football but even in the virtual space, with a European court recently ruling FIFA packs to be a form of gambling too.
Premier League Darts is returning to Manchester’s AO Arena in 2027
Lydia Mastrolonardo
Premier League Darts is confirmed to be returning to Manchester next year.
Now’s your chance to see the youngest world champion in darts history, AKA Warrington’s very-own Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler, show us how it’s done, as next year’s BetMGM Premier League Darts lineup has just been announced this week – with various dates confirmed across 17 different cities in the UK and Europe.
And Manchester is one of those cities, as the AO Arena has shared that they are set to host an evening next April, and we couldn’t be more excited about it.
This means that we will be lucky enough to witness the biggest names in world darts all under one roof, including headliners Gian van Veen and Luke Humphries, as well as Littler.
Manchester is the only northern city to get the pleasure of hosting the event next year, as Liverpool is also on the lineup, as is Leeds, Sheffield, and Newcastle, while elsewhere in the UK, the stars will travel to Glasgow, Birmingham, London, and several other major locations.
BetMGM Premier League Darts is to be held on Thursday 8 April at the AO Arena in Manchester, and to avoid being disappointed, fans are advised to register for presale ticket access.
Following a successful season of events in 2026, tickets are expected to be like gold-dust, so don’t say you haven’t been warned.
To access the first wave of tickets, fans must become an active PDCTV Annual Member before 23:59pm on Friday 9 October. Alternatively, general sale is on Thursday 22 October 2026, but make sure not to hang about.
Featured Image – Sandro Halank (via Wikimedia Commons)
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Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands
Emily Sergeant
Andy Burnham has claimed he wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on fans getting to drink alcohol in football stands.
It’s a ban that’s been in place in the top five tiers of men’s football since 1985, when fears over violence and hooliganism were at their height, but now the Prime Minister has raised the question of whether drinking in football stands – or ‘drinking in sight / view of the pitch’, as it’s known formally – is actually unjust, due to the fact that same rules don’t apply to fans of other sports.
“I don’t think it’s fair for football fans to be singled out in that way,” Andy Burnham has declared this week, grabbing headlines in the process.
He continued: “I think that legislation dates to an era where football was very different, and I do believe there is a case to remove that discrimination.
“I’m not going to back away from what’s been a long-held view of mine. I don’t see how it can be fair that some supporters of one sport can be treated differently.”
The Prime Minister’s comments have been met with mixed response.
Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands / Credit: James Kirkup | Julia Nastogadka (via Unsplash)
The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA), for example, has very much welcomed the idea, saying that it ‘totally agrees’ the legislation is ‘outdated’ and ‘deserves to be reviewed’.
Tom Greatrex, chair of the FSA, said in a statement: “The FSA has always argued that it’s unfair to criminalise football fans for having a pint while watching the match – especially since you can sit in the same seat drinking alcohol whilst watching an Oasis gig or rugby league.”
However, on the flip side, the UK Football Policing Unit said it would be ‘incredibly rash’ to change the rules without proper consultation.
“Other sports simply don’t see the violence and criminal behaviour from their supporters that football does, albeit a minority, with alcohol often playing a significant part in violent and disorderly behaviour,” it said in a statement on the matter.
The Prime Minister did state in his initial proposition though that ‘there are different ways it could be done’, hinting that it could be done ‘on a trial basis’ perhaps.
The English Football League (EFL) added that it would be ‘receptive to discussions around reviewing current legislation and permitting alcoholic drinks within view of the pitch’.
No formal details on a review have been confirmed as of yet, so fans are encouraged to stay tuned for updates in due course.
Danny Jones -
13th April 2023 
