Sunderland and Nottingham Forest seek sponsors as gambling ban begins

Sunderland AFC and Nottingham Forest FC remain without front-of-shirt sponsors as the Premier League’s new restriction on gambling branding comes into effect.

Both clubs entered the summer needing to replace betting operators that appeared on their shirts during the 2025/26 campaign. Sunderland were partnered with W88, while Nottingham Forest carried the logo of Bally’s Corporation.

The Premier League’s clubs collectively agreed in April 2023 to remove gambling sponsorship from the front of matchday shirts after the end of the 2025/26 season.

The voluntary restriction does not constitute a complete ban on betting partnerships. Gambling companies can continue to appear on shirt sleeves, training kits, pitchside advertising and other club inventory.

Nevertheless, the loss of the most prominent position on a club’s kit has forced several operators to reconsider how they invest their football sponsorship budgets.

Sunderland expected to secure new agreement

Despite reports suggesting Sunderland could begin the season with a blank shirt, the Sunderland Echo has indicated that the club expects to agree a new front-of-shirt partnership.

The Black Cats could be an attractive proposition for prospective sponsors after qualifying for European football during their first season back in the Premier League.

Sunderland will compete in the UEFA Europa League during 2026/27, offering any incoming commercial partner exposure beyond the domestic competition.

However, the club must find a business from outside the gambling sector prepared to meet its valuation for the sponsorship rights.

Nottingham Forest face a similar search after the conclusion of their agreement with Bally’s, a US-headquartered gambling and entertainment business licensed to operate in Britain.

Forest reached the semi-finals of the Europa League during 2025/26 but will not compete in Europe this season, potentially affecting the commercial value of the available sponsorship package.

“The gambling ban has removed a major source of potential sponsors from an already competitive market.”

Gambling operators move beyond the Premier League

Betting businesses have responded to the restriction by pursuing opportunities elsewhere in football.

The EFL Championship is expected to feature numerous front-of-shirt gambling partnerships during 2026/27 because the Premier League’s collective agreement does not apply to clubs lower down the English pyramid.

Operators can also retain a presence in the top flight through sleeve sponsorships, training-wear agreements and advertising around stadiums.

Further restrictions could nevertheless be introduced for overseas gambling companies without British licences. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has been considering whether unlicensed operators should be prohibited from sponsoring UK sports teams entirely.

Such a measure has received support from parts of the regulated industry, which argue that overseas-facing businesses should not be able to benefit from UK sports exposure without being subject to the same regulatory obligations as British licensees.

Clubs face difficult sponsorship market

The continuing searches at Sunderland and Nottingham Forest demonstrate the financial impact of removing gambling companies from the front of Premier League shirts.

Betting operators have historically been prepared to pay a premium for the position because of the international exposure offered by the competition.

Sean Connell, editor of The Sponsor, described the current environment as “an incredibly competitive sponsorship market”.

Connell said an unusually large number of clubs had been searching for partners during the summer, while the number of companies prepared to spend between £5 million and £15 million on a Premier League agreement had declined.

Businesses are also under increasing pressure to demonstrate that major sponsorship expenditure delivers a sufficient return.

Clubs seeking sums comparable with their former betting agreements may therefore need to negotiate for longer or offer additional commercial rights to attract companies from other industries.

Sunderland and Nottingham Forest can still announce partnerships after the campaign begins. However, their failure to secure replacements ahead of the opening fixtures would provide a visible illustration of the commercial gap created by the Premier League’s new gambling sponsorship policy.