DCMS extends unlicensed gambling sponsorship ban to non-sport deals, white-label models appear untouched

The UK government has moved its proposed ban on sponsorship and advertising by unlicensed gambling operators beyond sport, with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) saying it wants the rules in place by August 2027. For PSPs and merchants in high-risk verticals, the key point is that the draft still appears to spare white-label structures, while widening the net around anyone carrying the ad load.

1. The government estimates that up to 40% of Premier League clubs have had sponsorship or advertising agreements with unlicensed operators. The consultation is now aimed at using secondary legislation under the Gambling Act 2005 to criminalise the promotion of unlicensed gambling operators in Great Britain.
2. The scope is wider than football. DCMS said the ban would cover physical advertising assets such as pitch-side hoardings and tournament programmes, plus kit and equipment sponsorship, venue infrastructure, and naming rights. It would also apply across sectors, so the same restriction could catch music venues and cultural events if unlicensed operators move spend there.
3. The department said the ban would not currently extend to online or broadcast advertising, because that would require primary legislation. In other words, the immediate target is sponsorship and on-the-ground visibility, not every possible channel at once.
4. White-label partnerships appear to be outside the blast radius, at least for now. One lawyer told iGB in March that “the white label model isn’t affected by that because you have got someone who is legitimately taking money from British consumers in a compliant way.” DCMS also said in its February consultation that teams were not currently acting unlawfully by keeping sponsorship arrangements with unlicensed operators, though that position is expected to change once the new consultation lands in detail.
5. The policy push is tied to the May 2025 collapse of TGP Europe, a former Gambling Commission licence holder that provided white-label services for numerous overseas betting brands sponsoring Premier League and Championship clubs. TGP was found to have failed to carry out sufficient checks on business partners, was found to be breaking anti-money laundering rules, received a £3.3 million penalty, and then surrendered its licence, putting up to 29 white label brands and their football sponsorships into question.

DCMS said it is seeking input from stakeholders across professional sport and the gambling industry. For operators and their payment partners, the practical takeaway is straightforward: sponsorship tied to an unlicensed brand is becoming a regulatory problem, while compliant white-label structures are, for now, being treated differently.