TGP Europe, the gambling company behind 5 Premier League sponsors, has withdrawn from the UK market after a £3 million AML fine.
John Pierce, head of enforcement at the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), commented that, “This case involves a gambling company that was unwilling or unable to meet the regulatory standards we expect from our licensees.
He went on to add, “The fine was for failing to carry out sufficient checks on business partners and breaching anti-money laundering rules.”
The sports betting and gaming brands in question are BJ88 (Bournemouth), SBOTOP (Fulham), Sportsbet.io and Fun88 (Newcastle), Debet (Wolves), and 96.com (Burnley).
UKGC warns clubs they may face action
Newcastle United, Fulham, Wolves, Burnley, and Bournemouth have all been asked by the UKGC to prove they did due diligence before entering sponsorship deals. If the clubs are unable to provide sufficient proof that they performed the required checks, then they could face fines, and officials responsible for the deals could face imprisonment.
“We have already been in contact with several football clubs today to highlight the impact of the withdrawal from the market by TGP. And make clear that we will be carrying out checks to ensure these sites remain blocked,” said Pierce.
“We will also conduct ongoing spot checks as necessary. Should any of these sites be available to GB consumers, we will take appropriate action.”
Pierce also warned other unregulated operators to take note, stating, “All licensed operators with similar arrangements to TGP should take notice of the action taken in this case.”
Clamping down on offshore sportsbooks
TGP Europe is based in the Isle of Man, and the UKGC has been clamping down on offshore sportsbooks that allow players to access their sites, either legally or through VPNs.
Previously, Stake, sponsors of Everton FC, were driven out of the UK market after an investigation into their advertising practices. Despite this, Everton continues to wear shirts with Stake on the front.
However, from the 2026-27 season, clubs have agreed not to feature betting brands on their shirts. The current value of the shirt sponsor deals is around £60 million per year, and could impact some of the league’s smaller sides.
Brighton and Hove Albion owner Tony Bloom, who made most of his money from gambling, commented, “I don’t think having gambling sponsorship on shirts is good, but I understand the gambling companies pay best, so it’s a difficult decision for clubs to turn them down.”
Premier League and gambling advertising
The move to remove gambling shirt sponsors comes after MPs put pressure on the Premier League to reduce the amount of gambling advertising. Clubs will still be able to show betting brands on shirt sleeves and at the side of the pitch on digital advertising boards.
The amount of gambling advertising has increased in the sport, a study found that there were 29,000 gambling-related messages in the opening weekend of the Premier League this season. That figure was triple the amount of the previous season. Additionally, one match had 6,500 messages, marking 30 messages per minute.
Adam is an experienced writer with years of experience in the gambling industry. He has worked as a content writer and editor for five years on sites such as Oddschecker, CoinTelegraph and Gambling Industry News, bringing excellent knowledge of the world of sports betting and online gambling. Adam focuses on emerging stories in the ever changing landscape of betting in the US. Read the latest on prediction markets, changing legislation, and sweepstakes.
