English FA parts ways with two betting site sponsors

The English FA has decided to walk away from previously signhed sponsorship deals with two bookmakers. This action is a clear intention of FA to discontinue any sponsorship agreements with the betting operators.

The FA took this decision after a three-month review, by declaring that they no longer wished for the Association to be linked with any bookies.

The FA forced to this direction after high profile gambling controversies surfaced on Joey Barton’s ban, for his betting action on more than 1,200 bets on football matches. The controversy has drawn public attention at the same time FA have deals with bookmakers in force.

Following his ban, Joey Barton, who once represented the “Three Lions”, went ahead to tell that that gambling industry is everywhere in British football. Barton said: “That all means this is not an easy environment in which to try to stop gambling, or even to encourage people within the sport that betting is wrong”.

FA made the following statement on 22^nd of June: ”At May’s board meeting, it was agreed that the FA would end all sponsorships with betting companies starting from the end of the 2016-17 season. The decision was made following a three-month review of the FA’s approach to it as a governing body taking betting sponsorship, whilst being responsible for the regulation of sports betting within the sport’s rules. As a consequence, the FA has mutually agreed with the two operators that its current partnership will be terminated from June 2017”.

Contrary to the FA, the English Premier League does not have an official partnership with any bookmakers, however, it is common knowledge that 11 Premier League teams have bookie logos in their shirts.