TLDR Newcastle United signed a new deal with unlicensed betting operator 8Xbet as its official Asian betting partner in late February 2026 UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said gambling sponsorships in football are “not right,” but the government has offered no timeline for action beyond a spring 2026 consultation 11 of 20 Premier League clubs currently have gambling sponsors on their shirts, with five of those operators lacking UK licences Clubs like Chelsea and Aston Villa have hidden Asian betting partnerships by only showing ads to users in certain regions The Gambling Commission fined TGP Europe £3.3 million last year, forcing it out of the UK market, but clubs continued displaying its affiliated brands on shirts anyway
English Premier League clubs are still signing sponsorship deals with unlicensed gambling operators. This is happening despite growing pressure from the UK government to crack down on such partnerships.
Newcastle United is the latest club to do so. The club announced a deal with 8Xbet in late February, making the brand its official Asian betting partner.
The move came just weeks after UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said gambling brands sponsoring big football clubs is “not right.”
However, the government has not yet taken concrete action. Officials said a consultation would begin at some point in spring 2026, with a report to follow. No firm date has been set.
Why Clubs Keep Taking the Money
Sean Connell of The Sponsor, a sports sponsorship tracking firm, said the reason is simple. For many clubs outside the top tier, sponsorship income is a critical part of the financial model.
He told Gambling Insider that this money directly affects transfer budgets and on-pitch performance.
Connell added that clubs will continue signing these deals for as long as they remain legal. He said the