England’s top soccer leagues have joined forces, collectively adopting a new Code of Conduct for Gambling Related Agreements in Football. Echoing the British Horseracing Authority’s new Code of Conduct for gambling-related sponsorship deals, the new code seeks to introduce universal principles for such arrangements.
The Code Is Based on Four Main Principles
The new principle-based code has been created by soccer authorities and major national sporting associations, including the EFL, Premier League, The FA and Women’s Super League. It is a voluntary system whereby every major sport will produce a code specific to its needs.
The new Code of Conduct for Gambling Related Agreements in Football outlines four core principles for sponsorship deals with companies within the gambling sector. These are the following:
- Protection
- Social responsibility
- Reinvestment
- Integrity
Similar in nature to the BHA’s new code, the principles seek to encourage sustainable and responsible partnership agreements with gambling operators.
The full code is available on the EFL’s official website.
The Principles Explained
As per the protection principle, the British soccer authorities will aim to sign deals that are mindful of children and at-risk gamblers and do not expose them to harm. As a result, sponsorships must be limited in reach and not target any vulnerable groups.
Additionally, sponsorships should be delivered in a socially responsible way, ensuring that customers are made aware of the risks associated with gambling.
Furthermore, the leagues will reinvest the commercial income from gambling sponsorships back into sports infrastructure and programs that enhance the experience for soccer fans and communities. This may include investment in strong competitions, better training facilities and funding for grassroots sports organizations and local communities.
Finally, gambling sponsorships should never compromise the integrity of soccer events or harm the involved athletes.
These measures reflect the overall development of the sports and sports betting sectors and the strife for sustainable coexistence between the two sectors.
In other news, the EFL recently renewed its sponsorship agreement with Sky Bet, agreeing to jointly deliver financial support to communities in England and Wales via the Sky Bet EFL Community Fund. The new agreement built on a decade-long partnership, demonstrating the league’s commitment to forming deals that benefit the overall soccer sector.
