Purslow Criticises Premier League Gambling Shirt Ban, Citing Shift to Sleeves and Training Kits

Christian Purslow, a former senior executive at Chelsea, Liverpool and Aston Villa, has attacked the Premier League's voluntary ban on front-of-shirt gambling sponsorships, calling it a "really misguided policy" with "significant unintended consequences." Speaking on The Football Boardroom podcast, he argued that betting brands have simply redirected their spending to other kit assets such as sleeves and training wear.

The ban, agreed by top-flight clubs in April 2023 after pressure from politicians and fans, is due to take effect from the 2026/27 season and covers only the front of shirts. Purslow says this narrow scope has made other sponsorship slots more valuable as gambling companies compete for them.

His comments follow the announcements that Betway will appear on Manchester United's training kit and Betano has struck a similar deal with Tottenham Hotspur. Betway's parent company, Super Group, is reported to have paid £20m for the United partnership, a figure in line with the club's previous front-of-shirt deal with blockchain firm Tezos.

Purslow argued that United's huge domestic and global audience makes the training kit an attractive property for operators. "The visibility of that is much greater than what's been lost on the front-of-shirt," he said, adding that the ban has inadvertently increased the prominence of gambling branding rather than reducing it.

The so-called 'big six' clubs have historically kept gambling brands off matchday shirts and training kit, which made the Betway-United deal stand out. Tottenham had BetMGM as a training-kit sponsor for two years before Betano took over, and Purslow suggested these arrangements show how the policy is driving operators toward alternative inventory.

Betting partnerships across the top flight

Betway, through Super Group, is now the exclusive global betting partner of the top three Premier League finishers from last season: Manchester United, Arsenal and Manchester City, according to Super Group CEO Neal Menashe. Betway also serves as Chelsea's European betting partner, while Liverpool signed a multi-year partnership with Ladbrokes in 2024 covering the UK and Ireland.

EFL spared, inconsistencies remain

The ban does not extend to the English Football League, meaning all 72 clubs in the Championship, League One and League Two can still carry gambling brands on the fronts of their shirts. Some Premier League clubs, including Aston Villa and Everton, have simply moved their front-of-shirt gambling sponsors to the sleeve for the new season.

Purslow said the decision to spare EFL clubs was a compromise over their fragile finances, but the result is "a really messy situation." Seven of the 24 Championship clubs will display a gambling sponsor when the season gets under way next week, including Coral at Birmingham City and bet365 at Stoke City. Midnite sponsors Middlesbrough, Sheffield United and Wolves, while Queens Park Rangers has partnered with MrQ and West Ham United retained BoyleSports after relegation.

European competitions add another layer, with English clubs set to play in tournaments sponsored by betting operators and against teams that carry gambling branding. Purslow concluded that the policy's inconsistencies leave it difficult to discern a coherent stance.

"I can't see a consistent political conviction," he said.