English Clubs Ban Gambling Sponsors on Shirts

**EatYerGreens** · 13/04/2023, 1:22 PM

This needs to happen in the LOI as well : Premier League clubs agree to ban gambling sponsors from shirts (msn.com)

When you find yourself behind the English Premier League in terms of moral stances, you know you're definitely in the wrong.

**culloty82** · 13/04/2023, 2:01 PM

Absolutely, mind you, continuing to accept it on sleeves and ad hoardings strikes one as wanting to have your cake and eat it. To the GAA's credit, it voted to ban gambling sponsorship on intercounty jerseys back in 2018.

**sbgawa** · 13/04/2023, 4:13 PM

English premier league has sponsors queing up by comparison with LOI plus a huge TV deal.
Easy for them to be virtuos and Woke. Well wokish i suppose as it can still go on hoardings and sleaves etc.

**total hoofball** · 13/04/2023, 4:53 PM

Correct me if I'm wrong I think it's only Dundalk in the LOI now who have a gambling company as a main sponsor?

Not sure about back of shirt or side of sleeves for other clubs but I think the LOI has been on an unenforced cleansing of gambling sponsorships after an uptick in these sponsorships a few years back

**toffeejay84** · 13/04/2023, 6:51 PM

Seems like gambling companies have reduced in recent years as main sponsors any way.

**nigel-harps1954** · 13/04/2023, 8:48 PM

Isn't it already coming in here next year?

**brendy_éire** · 14/04/2023, 9:21 AM

Originally Posted by EatYerGreens

This needs to happen in the LOI as well

Why?

I find it hypocritical to be calling for banning of betting sponsorship, whilst still being happy to run club lottos and half time draws. Football clubs also benefit from lotto funding, and we hear demands for football to get a cut of the betting tax that horse racing and the greyhounds get.
We can't pretend to have some sort of moral high ground, unless we cut all ties with gambling.

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

Isn't it already coming in here next year?

Not just an FAI thing?

**Neish** · 14/04/2023, 10:45 AM

Originally Posted by brendy_éire

Why?

I find it hypocritical to be calling for banning of betting sponsorship, whilst still being happy to run club lottos and half time draws. Football clubs also benefit from lotto funding, and we hear demands for football to get a cut of the betting tax that horse racing and the greyhounds get.
We can't pretend to have some sort of moral high ground, unless we cut all ties with gambling.

IMO There is a big difference in clubs running their own lotto draws etc where most of there revenue goes into running the club and private companies running sports betting where most of the revenue goes to the owners/ shareholders private wealth.
(I a national lottery where large parts of revenue goes toward funding vital local projects, on the same side as clubs running their own lotto draws)

**brendy_éire** · 14/04/2023, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by Neish

IMO There is a big difference in clubs running their own lotto draws etc where most of there revenue goes into running the club and private companies running sports betting where most of the revenue goes to the owners/ shareholders private wealth.

I don't think that argument holds. Presumably, the reason behind banning gambling sponsorship is around the harm problem gambling can cause? Where the profits are going doesn't change the harm caused to the individual.

**pineapple stu** · 14/04/2023, 11:18 AM

I think there's a big difference between a half-time ticket and some of the really cynical ways large betting companies deliberately target people with gambling addictions though. It's that latter part that's the real concern (even if Father Billy O'Dwyer might argue otherwise)

**EatYerGreens** · 14/04/2023, 1:13 PM

Originally Posted by brendy_éire

I find it hypocritical to be calling for banning of betting sponsorship, whilst still being happy to run club lottos and half time draws.

I've yet to hear of anyone who's life has been ruined through taking part in an LOI club half-time draw (except maybe those stuck with organising it).

The difference in scale, impact etc is so stark that I'm surprised it needs pointing out to be honest. It would be like saying anyone who opposes war should also be against paintball.

**EatYerGreens** · 14/04/2023, 1:21 PM

Originally Posted by brendy_éire

I don't think that argument holds. Presumably, the reason behind banning gambling sponsorship is around the harm problem gambling can cause? Where the profits are going doesn't change the harm caused to the individual.

It does though.

I'd wager* that the vast majority of those buying a half-time draw ticket are not doing so for the thrill of the draw. It's basically just a donation to the club, with a relatively minor side benefit that there's a slim chance they might get something from it. Conversely, no-one is interested in making 'donations' to Paddy Power, Boyle Sports etc. Those interactions are definitely about the thrill of the bet. Hence why people don't get addicted to half-time draws, but do to the more obvious and insidious forms of gambling. Because they're very different things, with different motivations and recipients involved. So the inherent nature of the 'bet' (in terms of rationale and motivatio for participation) does have a direct impact upon the potential for harm.

*(all puns intended)

**sbgawa** · 14/04/2023, 1:37 PM

Its all just woke virtue signaling unless we are prepared to tell the Government we dont want a share of the betting tax and dont want any perimiter signage for bookies
Lets look good but we still want the money from betting as long as we can pretend we dont condone it

**dahamsta** · 16/04/2023, 1:09 PM

I've moved the bulk of this thread to the bin. I would have preferred to have retained the debate, however Lim til i die reposted his infracted post after it had been deleted, so I'm not giving it any more air. Lim til i die has been banned until I can review on Monday.

Feel free to continue the debate, but I don't want any discussion of Lim til I die for now.

Oh, and can we refrain from use of the word "woke" please. It's just a pathetic word at this point. Here's a rough guide: If it's used by any of: conspiritards, FFG, Tories, or Republicans, it's over.

**oriel** · 16/04/2023, 9:20 PM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

Isn't it already coming in here next year?

Not sure but think Bet Regal deal with Dundalk is up end of season.

**EalingGreen** · 16/04/2023, 11:31 PM

Originally Posted by sbgawa

English premier league has sponsors queing up by comparison with LOI plus a huge TV deal.
Easy for them to be virtuos and Woke. Well wokish i suppose as it can still go on hoardings and sleaves etc.

As it happens, none of the 'Big Six' has a gambling company as their shirt sponsor - basically they are so huge that they can attract huge global companies to sponsor them.

While several of the other PL clubs do have betting companies sponsoring them, since they routinely pay much more (I've seen x 2 quoted) than ordinary sponsors.

Consequently gambling sponsorship is more important to the other PL clubs, who already have much smaller revenues than the Big Six as it is. Nor is it mere coincidence that the EFL has not followed the PL precedent (yet at any rate), since they are even more dependant on gambling sponsors etc.

Anyhow, the whole thing is a mess (imo), and while I'm someone who enjoys the occasional modest flutter myself, I still think all gambling advertising and sponsorship should be banned from football.

**oriel** · 06/12/2023, 7:17 PM

While Premier League in England have 2 more years until gambling jersey sponsors are banned, FAI doesn't appear to be making any moves to follow suit.

Dundalk were the only club last year with one, and I thought this was going to end as Bet Regal 3 year deal ended, however it looks like Casino 888 will be confirmed in a 3 year deal as soon as next week, and probably linking in with the 2024 kit launch. The deal per local paper 'The Argus' has 'eclipsed' what BR were offering, some are saying its possibly highest in LOI history, I`m not sure if it is as I remember Nissan had a big deal with Cork City, but that was probably 20 years ago come to think of it, so maybe 888 is the biggest.

It won't be everyone's cup of tea but until its permitted its not breaking any rules, I was then thinking back to other LOI gambling sponsors, may have missed a few:

Dundalk - Bet Regal
Rovers - 888
Bohs - Mr Green
Pats - Paddy Power

Was there anyone else? I have a feeling Waterford may have had one but could be wrong.

**joey B** · 06/12/2023, 7:44 PM

Was it some kind of casino Waterford had ?

**oriel** · 06/12/2023, 7:51 PM

Wanted to avoid google, but got curious, turns out Waterford had 2

Spin Casino and 21 Bet

Any other clubs then apart the 5 mentioned?

**Nesta99** · 06/12/2023, 8:58 PM

Ban away whenever Dundalk either dont need such sponsorship or that other deals offer more money!!

I have yet to see proper peer reviewed research that suggest that such a ban is little more than a sticking plaster on a much broader social issue and wont be the dressed up the miracle fix, which it will not be, but will be walked away from as job done. It is no different from banning cigarette sponsorship of events in the 90s, made little impact until the subsequent smoking 2000s ban. Alcohol sponsorship restrictions have limited impact also (except personally when a gig is sponsored by say Budweiser and that that is the only sh1t that they sell).

National ID card for proper age verification for online gambling, or any gambling for that matter, companies limiting how much an individual can spend etc etc, all tougher to implement but actually effective that banning shirt sponsors in a ver small market.