Premier League shirt sponsorship revenue rises 8% despite gambling ban

Premier League clubs have increased front-of-shirt sponsorship revenue by 8% to £444 million for the 2026/27 season, despite a ban on gambling sponsors, according to research by Ampere Analysis.

Eight clubs that remained in the league have replaced gambling sponsorship agreements worth £67 million with new deals valued at £75 million, generating an additional £8 million in revenue. The figures highlight the resilience of the league's sponsorship market as clubs seek alternative commercial partners following the removal of betting brands from shirt fronts.

The growth, however, has been concentrated among the Premier League's biggest clubs. The 'Big Six'—Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur—have increased their combined front-of-shirt sponsorship revenue by £46 million.


Arsenal's improved Emirates renewal and Chelsea's new full-season agreement with Circle, replacing its short-term deal with IFS last season, have contributed to the increase.

Across the rest of the league, sponsorship revenue has been affected by changes in club composition. The departure of West Ham and Wolves and their replacement by newly promoted clubs contributed to a £16 million reduction. The remaining clubs recorded a combined £4 million increase, resulting in a net league-wide gain of £34 million.

The shift away from gambling sponsorships is more pronounced across the wider commercial inventory. Total gambling sponsorship spending across all assets has fallen by £92 million, from £155 million in 2025/26 to £63 million this season. The number of betting sponsorship deals has also declined by 21%.

Betting brands, however, continue to seek exposure through alternative assets. Six companies have signed new training-kit or sleeve sponsorship deals, with betting brands accounting for 57% of training-kit spending, up from 34%, and 20% of sleeve-asset spending, compared with 3% previously.

Despite the decline in overall spending, betting companies account for 13% of new sponsorship deals signed so far this season, ahead of trading, payments, AI and cybersecurity companies, each representing 5%.

Financial services companies have accounted for three replacement deals worth just under £35 million, while technology companies have contributed £19 million across two deals. Aston Villa's reported £20 million agreement with Visit Rwanda has also contributed to the replacement value.

Adam Lewis, senior analyst at Ampere Analysis, said the sponsorship market had demonstrated resilience despite the gambling ban, with AI, payments and trading companies appearing on Premier League shirts.

“Betting companies are finding alternative routes to exposure through sleeves and training kits, but their overall investment has fallen sharply,” Lewis said.

He added that the gap between the 'Big Six' and the rest of the league continued to widen, with the biggest clubs capturing the largest share of sponsorship revenue growth.