EFL chair: Overnight gambling sponsorship ban would be “catastrophic” for clubs

Two of English football’s leading figures have spoken out against a blanket ban on gambling sponsorship across the sport. Speaking at a DCMS Committee on sports in the community, Premier League CEO Richard Masters and English Football League (EFL) chair Rick Parry were grilled on a series of points concerning the prevalence of gambling in the nation’s most popular sport. The questioning came as part of wider brief concerning the financial sustainability of England’s football pyramid, specifically the operational viability of lower league and non-league clubs. With a House of Lords Select Committee having previously called for gambling sponsorships to be phased out before 2023, Parry insisted this must remain the case, as any rapid change in regulation could cause a financial haemorrhage for clubs. Parry said: “[Gambling sponsorship] is an important source of revenue from the EFL point of view. It is somewhere north of £40m in terms of our own sponsorship with Sky Bet. “[An immediate ban] would be a very significant challenge at the moment coupled with all the other challenges. It would be potentially catastrophic if it were to come in overnight. If it were to come in quickly, on the back of all the problems we are suffering with at the moment, it would create major difficulties,” he added. Parry conceded that EFL clubs would need to find alternative sources of income should the changes be gradually introduced. He continued: “If it were phased in over time, then frankly, clubs would have to find a way of adapting. We look forward to playing a part in the DCMS review which we hope will be evidence-based and we look forward to contributing evidence to that process.” New Premier League CEO Masters concurred with Parry, despite arguing that clubs in the top division were far less dependent on sponsorship dollars provided by the gambling industry. Masters said: “Our clubs all have betting partnerships but aren’t as reliant in quantum terms as EFL clubs but believe very strongly that they activate their partnerships in responsible ways. I think you are seeing an element of self-regulation on behalf of the betting and gambling companies at the moment.” Parry and Masters both went on to quash the notion that a complete ban would be a suitable response. Parry said: “I think there has to be balance. We have the most liberalised gambling environment in the world and I think that brings pluses. It is much better to have everybody betting in a regulated environment. “I guess the challenge with that is the pendulum can swing too far in terms of advertising and maybe that does need to be something of a reset. Prohibition doesn’t work.” Masters added: “We will be willing participants but ultimately there has been a long association between sports and betting. If there needs to be a rebalancing then that’s fine, but we don’t think there should be a prohibition on sponsorship.”