UK Sports Leagues Reveal Socially Responsible Codes of Conduct

Various sporting leagues in the United Kingdom have come together to reveal a new code of conduct that is aimed at protecting at-risk punters and minors alike.

Sporting leagues and the British Horseracing Authority came to a consensus on the agreement, which will start for the 2024/25 sports campaigns, which get underway next month. The ban on gambling sponsorships for shirts was officially adopted and will come into effect during the 2025/26 season. Additional provisions adopted include requiring gambling sponsorships to be promoted responsibly and have gambling awareness messages; not targeting vulnerable groups or minors; commercial revenues that derive from gambling sponsorships must be reinvested in ways that benefit fans and communities; and ensuring that promotions do not harm gamblers.

The Premier League, English Football League, Football Association, and Women's Super League issued a statement, which read: "The aim is to ensure that sponsorships are delivered in a socially responsible way. They are designed to limit the reach to children and those at risk of gambling-related harm."

The British Horseracing Association also commented, noting: "The code aims to ensure that minimum standards for social responsibility are implemented.

"In publishing the code, we ask that racecourses and horseracing participants commit to following the four general principles of the wider sports sponsorship gambling code when entering into sponsorship arrangements with betting companies."