British government mulling sponsorship ban on unlicensed gambling companies

LONDON (AP) — Gambling companies who do not have a license in the United Kingdom might be banned from sponsoring teams in soccer's Premier League and other sports in Britain, the government said Monday.

The British government has set out plans to discuss a potential ban in the coming months, saying it's an attempt to “mitigate the risks associated with the illegal market and help eliminate unfair competition for properly regulated firms.”

A number of Premier League clubs currently carry logos of unlicensed operators. That is not against the law, though the competition has already voluntarily agreed to stop all front-of-jersey gambling sponsorship from the end of this season.

Unlicensed gambling operators are still able to strike sponsorship deals on shirt sleeves, retaining a presence in soccer's most popular league.

“When placing a bet on the big match, fans deserve to know the sites they’re using are properly regulated, with the right protections in place," said Lisa Nandy, Britain's minister for culture, media and sport.

“It’s not right that unlicensed gambling operators can sponsor some of our biggest football clubs, raising their profile and potentially drawing fans towards sites that don’t meet our regulatory standards.”

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer