Social Responsibility:Sponsorships should be promoted in a responsible manner and include educational and awareness messages in their marketing.
Reinvestment in sports:Funds from gambling sponsorships should be reinvested in infrastructure and projects that benefit fans and communities.
Maintaining the Integrity of Sport:Sponsored activities must not compromise the integrity of the sport or harm the well-being of participants.
The English Football League, Premier League, English Football Association, Women's Super League and British Horseracing Authority have agreed to implement new guidelines before the start of the new season.
Football clubs will limit exposure of gambling sponsorship to children and vulnerable groups and ensure professional footballers are aware of the support services available.
The club will also allocate part of its sponsorship funds to promote safer gambling messages.
In the horse racing sector, the code will prevent gambling promotions from targeting those under 18 and ensure appropriate age-awareness measures are in place.
Members of the Betting and Gaming Commission (BGC) provide financial support to many sports, with the English Football League and its clubs receiving a £40 million (approximately $51 million) sponsorship from Sky Bet, and the Scottish Professional Football League being sponsored by William Hill. In addition, horse racing receives £350 million in sponsorship, while snooker, darts and rugby union receive more than £12.5 million.
The move follows the BGC’s recent criticism of the methodology of the Survey of Gambling in Great Britain (GSGB), which the commission believed may have overstated gambling participation and associated harms.
The BGC stressed the importance of accurate data in assessing gambling behavior and supporting research, prevention and treatment programmes. Over the past four years, BGC members have donated £172.5 million to tackle gambling-related harm.
