European football is dependent on gambling sponsorships

The sports betting industry dominates European football, with almost 300 top-flight clubs having signed partnerships with betting firms for the 2024/25 season. Despite stricter regulations and warnings about the risk of gambling addiction, teams and league organisers continue to be financially supported by the industry.

• A controversial financial relationship

An analysis of the 31 top-flight leagues in the European Union and the UK shows that two-thirds of teams (296 out of 442) have at least one partnership with a betting firm, reports investigate-europe.eu. One in three clubs has a main betting sponsor on their shirts, and almost half of leagues are named after a betting or lottery operator. In England and the Netherlands, all Premier League and Eredivisie teams have such partnerships. Germany, Portugal and Greece are also significant markets. In Eastern Europe, top clubs in Romania, Hungary and Bulgaria promote betting brands on official kits. In Belgium and Italy, where there are restrictions on gambling advertising, some clubs have found ways to get around the rules by displaying logos of media or charities affiliated with the betting industry. The information published by Investigate Europe is part of the "Shady Bets" project, the materials in this series were produced in collaboration with media partners, including Amphora Media (Malta), ARD (Germany), Dagens Nyheter (Sweden), Delfi (Estonia), Die Zeit (Germany), EU Observer (Belgium), Il Fatto Quotidiano (Italy), The Guardian (UK), InfoLibre (Spain), Irpi Media (Italy), The Observer (UK), Partizan (Hungary), Reporters United (Greece) and RTP (Portugal).

• Controversial sponsors and dubious practices

Some teams, such as AC Milan or Estonian club Nõmme Kalju, have signed contracts with companies that do not hold local licenses, but which nevertheless target the local audience. Furthermore, an investigation has revealed that dozens of companies that sponsor teams are on the blacklists of national authorities in Europe. Also, many teams in the top five European leagues have partnerships with Asian operators that lack transparency. These sponsors offer clubs up to £10m a year, and clubs, desperate for revenue, accept without carrying out thorough checks on their partners. In Italy, the law has banned betting advertising since 2018, but clubs have found ways to get around the restrictions. Inter Milan promote "Betsson.sport", Parma collaborate with "AdmiralBet.news", and Lecce wear "BetItalyPay" on their shirts, all of which are indirect marketing strategies for betting companies.

• A worrying impact

Research shows that exposure to gambling ads increases the likelihood that fans will bet. A study led by the University of Bristol found that in the first weekend of the season, almost 30,000 betting ads were broadcast in arenas, on television and on social media, a 165% increase on the previous year. Many argue that this influence is harmful. "Football has been corrupted by the gambling industry," says Tom Fleming of The Big Step, an organization that campaigns against advertising on football bets. German fan Thomas Melchior, a former gambling addict, also says that "betting took advantage of my passion for football to lure me into a vice that changed my life."

• Reactions and regulations

Some clubs and leagues are taking steps to limit the influence of betting. In Germany, St. Pauli has refused such sponsorships, despite losing significant revenue. In Spain, the 2021 ban on betting advertising was estimated by La Liga to have had a negative economic impact of 90 million euros. The Netherlands, after legalizing betting sponsorships in 2021, will ban them completely from July 2025, following an alarming increase in the number of bettors.

European football continues to be deeply dependent on money from the betting industry, despite the associated social risks. On the one hand, clubs argue that these sponsorships are vital for their financial survival, but on the other hand, society bears the costs of treating gambling addiction. In this context, the debate on the strict regulation of advertising in sports betting is more relevant than ever.