UK LEGAL


Upcoming ban on unlicensed gambling sponsorship – what we know so far


On 23 February 2026, DCMS announced it would consult in the Spring on a proposal to ban unlicensed gambling operators from sponsoring sports teams. Key details such as how the ban will be implemented, when, and who it will affect were not included in the press release, but we can consider the most likely scenarios. Northridge Law’s Melanie Ellis reports.


T


he Gambling Commission is clearly dissatisfied with the current position, whereby gambling operators they do not license and regulate are able to advertise in Great Britain, so long as they do not transact with customers located here. Sports sponsorships are a very visible and often


24 MARCH 2026


commented on part of that advertising. In information published on its website, the Commission says that it “is of the view that the best way for sports organisations to protect themselves against these risks is to ensure that they only promote gambling operators that hold operating licenses


issued by the Commission”. The Commission does accept that such arrangements are not unlawful, but warns that organisations and their officers are “at serious risk of committing the offence of advertising unlawful gambling” if they don’t carry out sufficient due diligence.


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