The Football Association has pulled out of a sponsorship deal with Ladbrokes Coral worth up to £4m a year, after concern about the gambling industry’s influence over the national game. It is understood that the FA has paid Ladbrokes for the value of one year of the contract and no further penalty for ending it early.
Ladbrokes has similar deals with the Scottish FA and the Football Association of Ireland.
The Football Association has pulled out of a sponsorship deal with Ladbrokes Coral worth up to £4m a year, after concern about the gambling industry’s influence over the national game. It is understood that the FA has paid Ladbrokes for the value of one year of the contract and no further penalty for ending it early.
Ladbrokes has similar deals with the Scottish FA and the Football Association of Ireland.
Half the 20 Premier League clubs have kits sponsored by betting groups. They include Stoke City (Bet365), while the Chinese characters of Mansion are on the shirts of both Bournemouth and Crystal Palace. Filipino group Dafabet features on Burnley shirts.
One question that arises is the FA’s future attitude to alcohol sponsorship. Rules on alcohol advertising have recently been tightened up. In France alcohol sponsorship of sport has been banned since 1991.