Andy Burnham's Everton Support Puts Football's New Gambling Debate Into Focus

Andy Burnham has never hidden his love for Everton football club. Yet, as he heads towards the position of the new Prime Minister, he could find himself in an unusual situation. Preparing to lead a government cracking down on exactly the type of sponsorship deal just signed by his very own club.

Everton has just signed a three-year sleeve sponsorship agreement with Stake.com. The issue is that this crypto casino is no longer licensed in the UK. Back in February the government announced plans to crack down on unlicensed operators sponsoring British teams. Since Everton’s announcement, it seems plans have been kicked into a higher gear.

Andy Burnham's Everton support is no secret. Throughout his time in the public eye he has regularly attended matches, discussed the club publicly, and being caught in an Everton shirt out and about. However, throughout his political career he has also backed stronger regulation across football. He helped shape proposals for an independent football regulator following the failed European Super League and has often spoken out on governance issues within the game.

The new PM in an Everton shirt emblazoned with an unlicensed casino could be a difficult one for even the best PR team to talk down.

Consultation follows Everton agreement

The original consultation was first announced in February of this year. It planned to close a loophole allowing overseas gambling operators without UK licences to sponsor British clubs. It was expected that the consultation would begin in the spring, but progress stalled.

During that delay, Entain chief executive Stella David wrote to gambling minister Baroness Twycross. She warned that clubs were very likely finalising sponsorship agreements for the new season. Those clubs could interpret the lack of government action as a signal that such deals remained acceptable.

On 30th June (within just weeks of this letter), Everton indeed confirmed Stake.com as its new sleeve sponsor.

Now, the government has announced to journalists that they will be pressing ahead with the plans from the original consultation.

A wider shift in gambling policy

The proposed consultation represents another sign that ministers are slightly changing their focus. Increasingly we are seeing policy that focuses on the distinction between licensed and unlicensed gambling operators. Before, the government seemed focused on introducing further restrictions to the regulated part of the industry.

This change to government messaging centres more closely on preventing consumers from being drawn towards operators that sit outside UK regulation.

While the voluntary ban on front-of-shirt gambling sponsors is a step in the right direction, it’s now become clear that the government does not think this goes far enough. Many partnerships with unlicensed operators have continued through sleeve sponsorships, training wear and pitchside advertising.

Whether this consultation results in a change to legislation remains to be seen. What is already clear, is that Everton's sponsorship agreement has accelerated a debate that extends well beyond one football club. As Burnham prepares to enter Downing Street, one of his most visible personal passions has unexpectedly become entwined with one of the first gambling policy questions his government will have to answer.