Cents and Sensibilities: UK Fans are Fed Up with Sports Betting Logos on Premier League Shirts
Published October 28, 2020 by Lee R
A wealth of UK fans have come out squarely against advertising on team shirts in new survey.
A new survey reveals UK fans are getting turned off by positioning gaming brands on Premier League uniforms.
The Dissenters
A full one third of over 1000 football supporters surveyed being “put off” from spending money on team shirts that feature betting sponsors, suggesting widespread support among UK football fans for increasing separation of gambling and sports.
The Prevalence
To date, 26 out of the top 44 teams in English football feature a gambling company logo across the uniform chest, in games broadcast to billions of people worldwide.
Overaggressive Strategy
The Survation poll reported to the UK Guardian shows that fan's opinions are starting to turn as a direct result of the iGaming industry's competitive strategy of targeting sponsorships with the most popular Premiere League clubs
Fans Voice Concern
The survey further revealed that nearly a full half of those fans additionally would support a ban on shirts emblazoned with gambling company logos.
Ex-Government Leader Proposals
The preceding survey question was in response to the shirt ban proposed by ex-Labour deputy leader Tom Watson, who has since moved on to a position with since taken a job with Flutter, the largest global iGaming provider.
BGC's Official Influence
As far as existing measures, new Betting and Gaming Council data reveals that the well-known “whistle-to-whistle ban” on ads during sport shown before 9pm had succeeded in virtually eliminating commercials in those hours with a 97% reduction. BGC is led by another former UK official: ex Labour MP Michael Dugher.
More Measures Needed
Despite the relative success of whistle-to-whistle ban compliance, two-thirds of Survation respondents stated that betting, online casino and slot machine firms still over-advertise to football supporters.
Survey Leader Concludes
To conclude the report commissioned by new campaign coalition Clean Up Gambling, director Matt Zarb-Cousin insists the further ad reductions by the UK government would receive the full backing of football fans.
Outlook
The Survation survey saliently reminds that the football watchers' aesthetic sensibilities still require consideration in providing betting company advertising or legislating it, and that fans in any league or sport still are liable to get turned off by current over-saturated advertising such as gambling company names on top team uniforms.
