Premier League clubs face scrutiny for featuring gambling sites serving UK customers without licenses

A number of Premier League football clubs are under renewed scrutiny after an investigation revealed that gambling companies sponsoring their shirts are continuing to accept UK customers despite lacking legal authorization to do so.

BC.Game, DEBET, and 96.com, shirt sponsors of Leicester City, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Burnley, respectively, have all lost their UK gambling licenses but remain accessible to British users, according to findings shared with Sky News by the Coalition to End Gambling Ads (CEGA).

The group reported being able to deposit money on all three sites, suggesting active operations in contravention of UK law.

The Gambling Commission had previously warned clubs, including Leicester, Wolves, and Burnley, that they risk prosecution if they continue to promote unlicensed gambling services. Club officers could face fines or imprisonment if found to be promoting operators that transact with UK consumers.

The three gambling sites were formerly licensed under TGP Europe, an Isle of Man-based company. However, TGP Europe surrendered its UK license on May 15 to avoid a £3.3 million regulatory fine, immediately rendering DEBET, 96.com, and other associated brands ineligible to accept British players. BC.Game parted ways with TGP Europe in December 2024 and has operated without a UK license since then.

Despite this, CEGA director Will Prochaska reported being able to access and use all the sites with minimal difficulty. "In fact, it was one of the easiest for me to gamble on—there were very few checks whatsoever," he said of BC.Game. He added that he contacted Leicester City in March to raise the issue but received no response, and the casino remains on the club’s shirts.

Sky News was able to register on all six gambling websites currently partnered with Leicester, Wolves, Burnley, Bournemouth, Fulham, and Newcastle United. All had previously been licensed by TGP Europe and are no longer permitted to serve UK customers.

Most of the websites allowed users to register using UK phone numbers or Telegram accounts without verifying location. While BC.Game did verify the UK phone number provided, it still permitted registration to proceed.

The Gambling Commission has not commented on the latest findings but has stated it will conduct spot checks and pursue prosecution where evidence meets the threshold. Head of enforcement John Pierce previously said that operators must ensure their services are inaccessible to UK customers “by any means,” including through the use of virtual private networks (VPNs).

Prochaska criticized the pace of enforcement. “Far too many children, far too many football fans, are seeing these adverts every day,” he told Sky News. “It’s got to stop.”

As of now, none of the clubs involved have indicated plans to terminate their sponsorships, with the current season having concluded and all three deals midway through two-year terms.