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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
Sport
Ewan Paton

Celtic and Rangers' alert over gambling sponsors shirt ban eased

There are no plans for a Scottish football ban on gambling sponsors. 

The SPFL has confirmed to Herald & Times Sport that individual sponsorships are "a matter for each club" and there is no current prospect of a Premiership-wide proscription of such deals.

It comes as Premier League clubs collectively agreed to withdraw gambling sponsors from the front of clubs' matchday shirts.

The voluntary action will commence at the start of the 2026/27 season south of the border.

There are eight current English top-flight clubs with gambling companies as shirt-front sponsors. This has an estimated value worth around £60m per year.

Celtic, Rangers and Dundee United have gambling sponsors on the front of their kits. 

Dafabet's logo is on the front of Celtic's jerseys, while Rangers have Unibet and 32Red. Dundee United has a partnership with QuinnCasino.

However, there are currently no plans for Scottish football to follow suit of the Premier League, with sponsorship from gambling companies offering a "significant source of income" to clubs in this country.

An SPFL spokesperson said: “For many SPFL clubs, sponsorship from gambling companies is a significant source of income which helps to support their business models and enables investment in many of the important community activities which clubs undertake. 

“Individual sponsorships are a matter for each club and there are no plans for a league-wide proscription of such deals.”

Clubs in the EPL will be allowed to secure new gambling sponsorship for the front of shirts until the ban comes into play.

Current sponsorship deals with gambling companies can remain in place for the next three years too.

It is believed that gambling brands can feature in other areas of a football shirt going forwards, which include shirt sleeves and advertising hoardings, beyond the 2025-26 campaign.

A Premier League statement reads: "Premier League clubs have today collectively agreed to withdraw gambling sponsorship from the front of clubs' matchday shirts, becoming the first sports league in the UK to take such a measure voluntarily in order to reduce gambling advertising.

"The announcement follows an extensive consultation involving the League, its clubs, and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport as part of the Government's ongoing review of current gambling legislation.

"The Premier League is also working with other sports on the development of a new code for responsible gambling sponsorship.

"To assist clubs with their transition away from shirt-front gambling sponsorship, the collective agreement will begin at the end of the 2025/26 season."

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