Manchester United Signs New Betting Sponsorship Deals Despite Gambling Ban Agreement

(AsiaGameHub) –   Manchester United is expected to name Betway as its new training kit sponsor, even after the club agreed to prohibit gambling-focused sponsorships. This will be the final season clubs are allowed to display gambling companies on their matchday shirts, but the upcoming ban has not stopped teams from signing new deals to promote betting services.

The Athletic reports the agreement with Betway could be worth more than £18 million ($24.5 million) per year, which would make it the highest-valued deal of its kind for a single partner in soccer. 

If the partnership is finalized, the betting company’s logo and branding will be printed on players’ chests in exactly the same format that the shirt sponsor ban was meant to prevent.

The club regularly shares photos of players wearing training kits across its social media channels, and these kits currently have no sponsor branding.

When announcing that Premier League clubs had voted voluntarily to ban front-of-shirt betting sponsors, the league said the decision was made to reduce gambling advertising.

Betway Ranks Among Multiple Manchester United Betting Partners

The Betway deal comes after Man Utd signed Parimatch as its official betting partner for parts of Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa at the start of this season.

Betfred is also the club’s official betting partner, while the Hong Kong Jockey Club acts as an additional betting-related sponsor for the club.

The club is also looking for potential new sleeve sponsors, as its current agreement with DXC is set to expire this summer.

United is partnering with marketing agency Two Circles, headed by former United sales manager Leo Thompson, to find the best possible deal for a new shirt sleeve sponsor. It remains unclear whether the club is considering a partnership with another gambling company for this spot.

Sleeve Sponsorships With Betting Firms Remain Allowed Under New Rules

The ban on front-of-shirt gambling sponsors does not stop teams from displaying gambling companies on their matchday sleeves.

Before signing with Man Utd, Parimatch had already partnered with fellow Premier League side Leeds United to become their sleeve sponsor at the start of this season.

Other Premier League clubs with gambling sleeve sponsors include Sunderland (LiveScoreBet) and Crystal Palace (Kaiyun Sports), and Kaiyun Sports does not hold a UK operating license.

Unlicensed Betting Partners Remain Permitted, For Now

The UK government has stated it is considering banning clubs from signing deals with unlicensed gambling companies, but multiple teams still hold active, valid contracts with these firms.

In addition to Crystal Palace, Everton’s main sponsor is Stake, which lost its UK license last year.

Stake, Bournemouth’s sponsor bj88, and Wolves’ sponsor DEBET, all previously held UK licenses through a white-label partnership with TGP Europe.

Even after their licenses were revoked, these companies have continued to appear on Premier League shirts and gain brand exposure during matches.

More Training Kit Betting Deals Could Be On The Way

Multiple other clubs already have betting sponsors for their training kits right now. For example, Crystal Palace displays Net88 on its team training kits.

Net88 primarily targets Asian markets and has been accused of money laundering and facilitating illegal gambling.

However, the company now holds a valid UK license through a white-label partnership with Risq Capital.

The ban on front-of-shirt gambling sponsors could cost Premier League clubs up to £80 million in lost annual revenue, but training kit deals, sleeve partnerships and other agreements can help reduce this revenue gap.

With clubs continuing to promote betting brands on sleeves, training kits, and other promotional materials, the situation has raised questions about what the front-of-shirt sponsor ban is actually meant to accomplish.