Could New Betting Sponsorship Regulations be the Death Knell for Some Non-League Clubs?

There’s been a lot of talk lately about the government’s review of current gambling laws, which many believe may lead to an all-out ban on betting sponsorship in football. This would certainly be a seismic shift for sport, with the English Football League loudly warning of the impact on smaller clubs. In October last year, the EFL – which of course is sponsored by Sky Bet – released a strong statement emphasising the importance of the some £40 million its clubs receive each year from the gambling sector.

“The significant contribution betting companies make to the ongoing financial sustainability of professional football at all levels is as important now as it has ever been,” the statement said, “particularly given the ongoing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic which is leaving many of our Clubs living on a financial knife edge.”

More recently in March this year, EFL chairman Rick Parry didn’t mince his words in a newspaper interview, saying a ban would be “catastrophic”.

Non-league football may also be greatly affected by new legislation. It wasn’t that long ago when this side of the sport was shaken by BetVictor tearing up its deal with the Northern Premier, Southern and Isthmian leagues, with “escalating negativity towards betting in football” cited as one of the reasons.

It was a serious crisis for football at steps three and four of the National League system, but then Pitching In came to the rescue. This is a recent, multi-million pound grassroots sports investment programme launched by Entain, the betting giant which owns the likes of Coral and Ladbrokes.

The importance of the deal in the time of the coronavirus was highlighted during its launch, with Entain saying that the sponsorship delivers “vitally needed financial support as the leagues seek to cope with the consequences of the Covid-19 lockdown”. Entain even signed up England legend Stuart Pearce, who once played with non-league Wealdstone FC, as the Pitching In ambassador. Pearce made his thoughts on the importance of the funding stream very clear, saying “It takes a lot of money to run a football club and make it thrive. Pitching In honouring this sponsorship will make a real difference.”

It’s not entirely clear whether the lucrative Pitching In deals with the Trident Leagues would actually come under the jurisdiction of a betting sponsorship ban. Entain has been careful with how Pitching In has been presented to the public, with no betting site branding associated with the programme. Indeed, back in 2019, the company – then called GVC – made a commitment to end all football sponsorship deals with UK teams, to “allow sporting fans to watch their favourite teams without seeing any incentives to bet”.

Entain’s more careful approach to sponsorship, and its clear sensitivity to the growing concern about the “gamification of football”, is echoed in the attitude of another prominent betting sponsor in the non-league world, LV BET. When the bookmaker’s partnership with the Vanarama National League was extended last year, it was couched in talk of a “community first” approach and the ongoing promotion of safer gambling.

Meanwhile, the Betting and Gambling Council – which represents the UK’s gambling firms – has also been making a point of cleaning up the image of the industry in football, particularly with regards to how operators promote themselves to sports fans. The BGC has recently drawn up plans targeting social media as one outlet [via] – including blocking links to gambling sites on social media feeds and the displaying of direct bonuses.

Despite all of this this, there has continued to be pushback among non-league fans. Many, for example, felt uncomfortable when the Pitching In sponsorship was announced. One Twitter user posted a meme showing The Simpsons arch-villain Mr Burns, wearing a fake moustache and with the Ladbrokes logo emblazoned across his face – implying Entain was basically trying to promote betting in an underhand way. Another fan took a more resigned and pragmatic approach, tweeting “I’d prefer a non-gambling sponsor, but in the current environment beggars can’t be choosers.”

Whatever anyone’s thoughts about the ethical implications of the Pitching In partnerships, there’s no denying its importance to small clubs in a time of unprecedented financial uncertainty. If sweeping new legislation does pull the plug, it’ll be down to non-league football to adapt quickly to the new normal, and maintain the funding so essential to the health and viability of its clubs.