Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace have been warned about their commercial relationship with shirt sponsors Kaiyun Sports, after it emerged that the betting website is not licensed to trade in the UK. The Gambling Commission, the government body responsible for the regulation of gambling in the UK, has confirmed that Kaiyun Sports has never been directly licensed by them. This goes against the guidelines in football’s new code of conduct regarding gambling sponsorship announced by various football organizations.
Forest and any club that enters into a partnership with an unlicensed gambling site have been cautioned that they are at risk of breaking the law if the site is accessible in Britain. The spokesperson for the Gambling Commission emphasized the importance of promoting only gambling operators licensed by them to avoid legal issues.
Kaiyun Sports, the front-of-shirt sponsor for Forest, is also the sleeve sponsor for Crystal Palace. While both clubs have not commented on the issue, they believe that since Kaiyun Sports is not available in the UK, they are not promoting unlicensed gambling to UK consumers. Forest has engaged with regulatory bodies and is confident that their understanding of the regulations aligns with the current requirements.
The FA and Premier League have not provided specific comments on the case, but they have stated their stance on their relationships with gambling companies. Kaiyun Sports, described as “Asia’s largest digital sports platform,” does not operate in the UK, and their status as an inactive company is listed by the Gambling Commission.
Several other betting companies under TGP Europe have sponsorship deals with Premier League clubs, all falling under the “white label” category. Gambling sponsorships on Premier League club shirts will be prohibited starting from the 2026-27 season, with stricter regulations to target marketing towards responsible gambling practices.
Forest had to remove Kaiyun Sports’ logo from their shirts during pre-season friendlies in Spain due to gambling advertising regulations in the country. Despite this, their opponents Sunderland displayed the logo of their sponsor Spreadex on their shirts without facing similar warnings.
In conclusion, the issue of unlicensed gambling sponsorships in football is a significant concern that clubs need to address to ensure compliance with regulations and responsible gambling practices. The upcoming ban on gambling sponsorships in the Premier League highlights the need for clubs to be mindful of their commercial partnerships and marketing strategies to uphold ethical standards in the sport.
