Celtic and Rangers reassured over gambling sponsorships as SPFL respond to EPL ban

Scottish football clubs have been given reassurances that there are no plans to change the rules on gambling sponsorships.

This is despite top flight clubs in England yesterday agreeing to ban betting firms from the front of matchday shirts from the end of season 2025-26.

After extensive consultation between the Premier League, its 20 clubs, and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, a decision has been made for the league to become the first in the UK to take such action to voluntarily reduce gambling advertising.

There are eight current EPL clubs with gambling companies as shirt-front sponsors with the deals valued at around £60m per year.

Celtic's Callum McGregor and Rangers' John Souttar display betting logos on the front of their strips during the recent Old Firm clash. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

There are no plans to follow suit in Scotland, the SPFL has confirmed, with sponsorship from gambling companies regarded as a "significant source of income" to clubs in this country.

Both Old Firm sides have betting companies on the front of their jerseys with Dafabet sponsoring Celtic strips while 32Red and Unibet are promoted on the front of Rangers kits. Dundee United also have a partnership with QuinnCasino.

An SPFL spokesperson said: “For many SPFL clubs, sponsorship from gambling companies is a significant source of income which helps to support their business models and enables investment in many of the important community activities which clubs undertake.

“Individual sponsorships are a matter for each club and there are no plans for a league-wide proscription of such deals.”

Premier League clubs will be allowed to secure new gambling sponsorship for the front of shirts until the ban commences. Current sponsorship deals with gambling companies can remain in place for the next three years too.

It is understood that gambling brands can feature in other areas, which include shirt-sleeves and on advertising hoardings, beyond the 2025-26 campaign.

A Premier League statement read: "Premier League clubs have today collectively agreed to withdraw gambling sponsorship from the front of clubs' matchday shirts, becoming the first sports league in the UK to take such a measure voluntarily in order to reduce gambling advertising.

"The announcement follows an extensive consultation involving the League, its clubs, and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport as part of the Government's ongoing review of current gambling legislation.

"The Premier League is also working with other sports on the development of a new code for responsible gambling sponsorship.

"To assist clubs with their transition away from shirt-front gambling sponsorship, the collective agreement will begin at the end of the 2025/26 season."

The Big Step, a campaign set up to stop all gambling advertising and sponsorship in football, welcomed the news but stressed the need for more changes to be made to combat gambling’s influence in the sport.

“Today’s announcement is a significant acceptance of the harm caused by gambling sponsorship. No gambling ads are seen more than those on Premier League shirts, worn by billions around the world,” The Big Step founder James Grimes said.

“But just moving logos to a different part of the kit while allowing pitch-side advertising and league sponsorship to continue is totally incoherent.

“Without government action on all forms of gambling ads in football, at every level, online casinos will exploit any voluntary measures and continue to market their products through our national sport."