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Betting company calls for end to shirt sponsorship

GVC Holdings, the owner of Ladbroke Coral bookmakers, has called for a ban on football shirt sponsorship, as well as an end to all broadcast advertising for sports betting in the UK. The company said that its proposals would help curb problem gambling.

Of course, it may be that such restrictions would be less harmful to well established brands than to newer or smaller companies seeking to raise their profile.

The ever closer links between football and betting companies have given rise to concern. Britain's gambling companies provide more than £47m in shirt sponsorship deals for Premier League clubs. Nine clubs have betting companies as their main shirt sponsor. Watford and West Bromwich Albion in the Championship have gambling companies as shirt-sleeve sponsors.

The most lucrative deal is that of West Ham United with Betway, worth £10m. Everton receive £9.6m from SportPesa. At the other end of the spectrum Burnley are paid £2.5m by Dafabet and Huddersfield Town £1.5m by Ope Sports. The range of payments reflects the different profiles of the clubs.

Clubs in lower leagues also have betting companies as shirt sponsors, e.g., Charlton Athletic.

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