Entain urges clubs to avoid crypto-linked unlicensed sponsors

On May 15 Entain general counsel Simon Zinger wrote to executives at Burnley, Bournemouth, Fulham, Everton, Sunderland and Wolverhampton Wanderers, urging the clubs to accept only sponsors licensed by the UK Gambling Commission for the 2026/27 season. The letters raised concerns about operators’ use of cryptocurrency and other unregulated payment methods.

Zinger named Stake and BJ88 in the correspondence. He wrote that Stake’s “heavy reliance on cryptocurrency and its history of operating in grey jurisdictions make it a lightning rod for concerns regarding money laundering and lack of player protection.” In a letter to Bournemouth’s chairman he described BJ88 as having a “lack of transparent corporate history” and using “unregulated payment methods like cryptocurrency to evade financial oversight.” The letters were disclosed on May 16.

The letters followed earlier Entain actions. In February the company’s chief executive wrote to the Premier League’s chief executive proposing a voluntary ban on unlicensed operator sponsorship. On May 7 Entain submitted comments to the Independent Football Regulator’s licensing consultation asking the regulator to treat income from unlicensed UK gambling activity as funds “connected to serious criminal conduct” under draft guidance.

Several operator brands named by Zinger had operated in the U.K. under white‑label arrangements. BJ88, SBOTOP, 96.com and DEBET were linked to TGP Europe, an Isle of Man provider that surrendered its UK Gambling Commission license on May 15, 2025 after a £3.3 million fine for failures in partner checks and anti‑money‑laundering controls. The withdrawal of TGP Europe removed those brands from the Commission’s licensing framework. Some clubs however kept their sponsorship agreements after the license was surrendered. Sunderland’s W88 partnership passed through DM Limited Gaming, which surrendered its license in 2024. Stake surrendered its UK license in February 2025 following a Gambling Commission probe into a December 2024 social media campaign.

The Premier League has agreed a voluntary ban on front‑of‑shirt gambling sponsors that takes effect in the 2026/27 season. The policy does not cover sleeve patches, perimeter advertising or social media marketing. Zinger wrote that leaving those channels outside the ban allows unregulated operators to remain visible in club marketing and to reach younger audiences. Since then Bournemouth has signed Vitality as its 2026/27 front‑of‑shirt sponsor and Everton has agreed a deal with CMC Markets.

The letters come amid wider government and regulatory activity on illegal gambling. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Illegal Gambling Taskforce, chaired by Baroness Twycross since January 2026, is consulting on a possible ban on unlicensed operator sponsorship across British sport. The UK Gambling Commission has advertised a senior role to coordinate enforcement against illegal markets, and ministers have announced £26 million in new funding for enforcement. Industry analysis cited by regulators estimates the U.K. illegal gambling market at about £16.6 billion, and separate projections indicate unlicensed operators could outspend regulated firms on U.K. gambling advertising by 2028.

Entain’s letters requested that clubs align future sponsorships with licensed operators ahead of the 2026/27 season while regulators and government bodies consider further restrictions and enforcement measures.