Report: Gambling shirt sponsorship vote postponed due to political crisis

The proposed vote on a voluntary gambling shirt sponsorship ban in the Premier League has reportedly been postponed following the political crisis in Westminster. According to Sky News, the Premier League has emailed all 20 top-flight clubs noting that the vote for a voluntary ban on shirt sponsorship by gambling companies has been delayed. The proposals are now set to be discussed at a shareholder meeting on 26 July. The delay comes following the turmoil unfolding in the government, which saw more than 50 ministers resign, forcing Prime Minister Boris Johnson to step down as the leader of the Conservative Party. One such minster to resign was Gambling Minister Chris Philp, who had been due to publish the white paper into the review of the Gambling Act 2005. Philp said white paper was with Number 10 awaiting approval, but the issue may well be put on the backburner with the government in disarray. It was reported on Monday that the Premier League had called on clubs to bring in a voluntary ban to see betting companies no longer appear on teams’ shirts within the next three years. This would mean existing deals would be allowed to run their course, providing they expired no later than the 2024-25 season. Sky News also reported that a clause could be inserted into any voluntary agreement allowing it to be overturned with two years’ notice in specific circumstances. The members of the Premier League would vote on this proposal, and for the ban to be implemented, 14 of the 20 clubs would have to be in favour of it. It is believed that all of the Premier League’s so-called ‘big six’ clubs would support a ban, them being Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur. None of these clubs currently have gambling sponsors on their shirts, but seven of the 20 clubs do, including Europa League finalists West Ham United, who have a deal with Betway.