Gambling Firms Increase Sports Sponsorships as Regulation Tightens

30 September 2026

A recent sponsorship deal between Mozzart Bet and APS Bomet, a leading Kenyan football club, sheds light on a wider trend: as regulations on gambling marketing grow tighter in some markets, betting firms are increasingly turning to sports sponsorships to maintain brand visibility. The one-year deal, worth Ksh11 million ($98,000), includes cash support and funding for club merchandise. Mozzart Bet is now the shirt sponsor for six Kenyan football clubs across the top tiers.

The deal illustrates how betting companies are capitalising on their strong financial position to secure prominent sports partnerships, even as regulatory scrutiny in Europe and South America shows signs of impact. In 2024, 34% of commercial revenue for top-flight Brazilian clubs came from gambling sponsorships, totaling around US$200 million. Yet a recent government ruling requiring advertising to disclose risks spelled trouble: fourteen of 20 clubs saw a betting firm as their main sponsor, now ineligible after a reworking of ad standards. Chief among them was Flamengo, whose record-breaking $46 million deal with Betano is now at risk.

Sporting clubs are increasingly torn. On one hand, they are under pressure to seek lucrative gambling partnerships to maintain financial health, especially those in weaker financial positions. On the other, they must weigh up reputational risks and the negative impacts on young viewers. The English Cricket Board (ECB), citing exposure to minors as a key concern, published a 2024 code of conduct for dealing with gaming companies. Unlike some regions, the UK is attempting to limit the visibility of harmful sports sponsors to kids.

Targeting Loopholes

But despite the sensitivity, gambling firms remain active, and are increasingly targeting local clubs in the UK and EU where restrictions on shirt sponsors are on the rise. Eight Premier League clubs reportedly needed to find a new shirt sponsor after the ban. Yet the same firms have continued their sponsorship via sleeves, training kits, and pitch-side advertising at matches.

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Though a 2021 Athletic investigation highlighted this practice, little seems to have changed. In 2024, 17 of 24 English Championship clubs had gambling-connected kits or pitch-side advertisements. New restrictions have, if anything, driven gambling brands to find loopholes. This summer, half of all Premier League clubs were linked to betting firms; ten of them received sponsorship from completely legal betting operators. Organizations like the Gambling Harm hub attribute such trends to unregulated operations that deceive consumers and gain access to top leagues.

The harder the regulatory grip on elite leagues, the harder betting firms chase local clubs to maintain visibility. Even when overregulated, betting firms continue to play the game. They may seek sponsorship deals that do not fall under the new gambling regulations, such as sponsorships on sleeves, training kits, or pitch-side advertising.

As communities grapple with how to balance commercial financial health and gambling sponsorship, the Mozzart-APS Bomet deal highlights how quickly betting firms remain committed to maintaining their visibility in the sporting arena, even as regulations continue to tighten.