Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Paul MacInnes, Lorenzo Buzzoni and Chris Matthews

Revealed: betting companies’ huge financial influence in European football

West Ham's Tomas Soucek takes on the Everton defence
West Ham’s draw with Everton this month was an example of both teams in a Premier League game having shirts sponsored by betting companies. Photograph: Jake Kirkman/Shutterstock

The prevalence of gambling money in European football has been laid bare by new research that shows ­two-thirds of teams across 31 top ­divisions have at least one sponsorship deal with a betting firm.

As the Premier League counts down to a ban on front-of-shirt sponsorship by gambling companies, due to come into force next year, data also shows clubs in European countries have found ways to get around such restrictions.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.