TLDR
- A University of Bristol study counted 15,571 gambling messages across the Premier League’s opening weekend.
- Gambling exposure fell by just 10.5%, despite a new voluntary ban on front-of-shirt betting sponsors.
- Pitchside boards made up 72% of messages, and sleeve and training-wear branding more than tripled.
- More than 1,000 paid Facebook and Instagram ads reached an estimated 153.2 million UK accounts.
- The findings are set to be presented to the UK Parliament on Wednesday.
A new study has found that gambling advertising was still widely seen during the opening weekend of the 2026/27 Premier League season. This comes despite a new voluntary ban on front-of-shirt betting sponsors.
Researchers at the University of Bristol counted 15,571 gambling messages across the weekend. That was a drop of just 10.5% compared with the previous season.
This season is the first in which Premier League clubs cannot have a gambling company as their front-of-shirt sponsor. The ban was meant to reduce how often fans see betting marketing.
Dr Raffaello Rossi, who led the project, said: “This cannot be presented as a success for self-regulation.”
How the Premier League Gambling Study Worked
Researchers looked at every Premier League match shown live in the UK during the opening weekend, from 21 to 24 August. They also reviewed 15 hours of Sky Sports News coverage and 15 hours of TalkSport radio.
The team also studied paid and unpaid social media posts from the 10 gambling brands with the most followers.
Gambling Ads Moved to Pitchside Boards and Sleeves
The study found that betting marketing did not disappear. It moved to other parts of the matchday.
At least one gambling message was on screen for 5 hours and 16 minutes during live coverage. That is almost one-fifth of total broadcast time.
Pitchside boards made up 72% of all gambling messages at live matches. Gambling branding on sleeves and training wear was more than three times higher than in previous years.
Rossi said Premier League broadcasts showed more gambling messages per game than similar coverage in Germany, Canada and the United States.
Researchers also found heavy gambling marketing online. More than 1,000 paid ads on Facebook and Instagram reached an estimated 153.2 million UK accounts.
People aged 18 to 24 made up more than 10% of that reach. The study also found that 93% of gambling content marketing was not clearly marked as advertising.
Former England goalkeeper Peter Shilton, a longtime patron of the research project, called the findings “deeply concerning.” He pointed to the harm gambling can cause to people and families.
“When gambling is so visible throughout the game, it risks making betting feel like a normal part of being a football fan or player,” Shilton said.
He added that the group is “not at all anti-gambling” but believes more should be done to cut gambling advertising, especially around young people.
Sir Iain Duncan Smith, co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Gambling Reform, also responded. He said the findings are “further evidence that the voluntary approach to gambling advertising in football is failing.”
The University of Bristol findings are set to be presented to the UK Parliament on Wednesday.
