Entain calls on 10 Premier League clubs to end affiliation with unlicensed gambling sponsors

Entain has called on Premier League clubs to end their affiliation with unlicensed gambling operators for the second time in just a few months. The Ladbrokes Coral owner revealed to SBC News that it has written to 10 clubs in England’s top footballing division which it found had deals with bookmakers which do not hold a UK licence. It comes on the eve of the closure of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s (DCMS) consultation on unlicensed gambling sponsorships being permitted in the UK. The 8XBet saga Asia-facing bookmaker 8XBet is notably prominent in these partnerships, with Entain finding the company has deals with five Premier League clubs – Aston Villa, Chelsea FC, Coventry City, Ipswich Town and Newcastle United. There’s a lot to unpack here. Firstly, Coventry City Chairman Doug King is vehemently against gambling sponsorships, making that clear in 2023 when he vowed that the club would no longer promote gambling companies via its shirts. Admittedly, this is not a kit deal, but 8XBet does not appear to be listed as a partner on Coventry’s website in the UK at least, nor has there been a press release from either organisation regarding a partnership. To add another layer to the confusion of 8XBet’s Premier League prominence, the 8xbet.com URL redirects to GamCare’s website for UK users. And to top it off, an Entain figure was able to sign up to 8XBet using a VPN located in Vietnam within five minutes with the alias ‘Andy Burnham’ – the UK’s Prime Minister. “In a controlled test yesterday, I was able to open an account within five minutes using details in the name of Andy Burnham while connected through a VPN appearing to be in Vietnam, and reach the point of depositing with cryptocurrency. I have screenshots documenting the journey,” the source told SBC News. “The material also shows how 8XBet directs users around the normal app-store route via TestFlight. Its app contains imagery of major football stars and current Premier League players, apparently drawing on club sponsorship assets despite the operator not being licensed in Great Britain. “We believe this raises serious questions about whether the supposed separation between “Asia-only” sponsorships and UK consumers works in practice. “The central issue is that clubs are lending trusted Premier League brands to operators that can apparently still be accessed through straightforward workarounds, even as the Government consults on making such commercial relationships unlawful. I am sure the Gambling Commission and DCMS will have a response if asked on this new finding.” Entain’s appeal to Everton FC Entain also showed SBC News the contents of the letter sent to Everton FC, one of the 10 Premier League clubs affiliated with an unlicensed UK operator. In a letter addressed to Angus Kinnear, Everton’s Chief Executive Officer, Entain’s Group Deputy General Counsel, Charles Kovats warned the club that its association with Stake “is currently functioning as an implicit stamp of legitimacy for a gambling company that has no social, economic or ethical interest in the UK’s welfare or prosperity nor a legal basis to operate in the UK”. The letter continued: “Everton’s association with Stake.com is particularly at odds with the Prime Minister’s longstanding support for the club. It seems unimaginable that, having made his government’s opposition to unlicensed gambling agreements clear, Andy Burnham would become a billboard for unregulated gaming by wearing the club’s current strip. “Stake’s heavy reliance on cryptocurrency and its history of operating in grey jurisdictions make it a lightning rod for concerns regarding money laundering and lack of player protection. “Its rapid rise has been fuelled by an unregulated streamer culture that specifically targets the younger demographics that your “Everton in the Community” programmes seek to protect. “As the Government’s consultation draws to a close on September 9th, I would urge Everton to rethink its commitment to a promotional agreement that could be a criminal offence in less than twelve months’ time.” Entain executives will be eagerly awaiting responses as well as the DCMS’ decision on its consultation, which is expected imminently. The 10 Premier League clubs Entain wrote to due to partnerships with unlicensed operators: Fulham – SBOTOP Everton – Stake Ipswich Town – 8XBet Newcastle United – 8XBet Chelsea – 8XBet Aston Villa – 8XBet Coventry City – 8XBet Nottingham Forest – FUN88 Tottenham Hotspur – VSBet Crystal Palace – Chexx.bet