Betting companies have long used professional sport as a major marketing channel across Europe. Football attracts the largest share of attention, though gambling brands also support basketball, handball, tennis, combat sports, and national competitions. Regulations are changing the form of these deals, but gambling sponsorships in sports remain highly visible.
There is no single public database counting every gambling sponsorship by country. This ranking therefore considers current shirt agreements, league naming rights, official betting partnerships, training-kit deals, competition sponsorships, and the general presence of betting brands across professional sport.
1. United Kingdom
The United Kingdom, particularly English football, remains one of Europe’s largest markets for sports betting partnerships. During the 2025/26 Premier League season, 11 clubs had betting companies as front-of-shirt sponsors, showing how deeply bookmakers had become connected with English football.
That model changed for 2026/27 when Premier League clubs stopped using gambling companies on the front of matchday shirts. Betting firms can still secure training-kit, sleeve, regional, and other commercial agreements. Manchester United’s new Betway training-kit partnership illustrates this shift.
2. Czech Republic
The Czech Republic has strong links between betting operators and professional football. Chance is the general partner of the country’s first and second football leagues, while Fortuna remains connected with major clubs such as Slavia Prague. Betano also renewed its Sparta Prague partnership through 2028/29, covering the men’s A-team, B-team, and first women’s team.
The sponsorship sector is closely connected with the country’s regulated gambling market. A Czech-focused cz online casino resource covers locally licensed online casino operators and notes that legal online casinos serving Czech players need a Czech license. This local licensing structure helps explain why established betting and casino companies can maintain a strong commercial presence around Czech sport.
3. Romania
Romania has one of Europe’s broadest portfolios of gambling-related sports agreements. Superbet sponsors the Romanian SuperLiga and clubs including Rapid, Dinamo, Universitatea Craiova, Farul Constanța, Universitatea Cluj, and Politehnica Timișoara. Its sponsorship activity also covers women’s football, handball, tennis, chess, and combat sports.
This makes Romania particularly notable because bookmaker sponsorship extends beyond one football club or competition.
4. Greece
Greece also has a strong concentration of betting sponsors in European football. Stoiximan has held naming rights for the Greek Super League and Greek Basketball League while supporting Olympiacos and several other sports organizations. Superbet expanded its Greek portfolio in 2026 through partnerships with PAOK, Panathinaikos, and Levadiakos.
Club deals combined with competition naming rights put Greece high on this list.
5. Poland
Poland is another major Central European market for betting companies. Superbet has worked with Lech Poznań and Wisła Kraków, while bookmakers have maintained a visible role across domestic football.
Its large football audience makes Poland attractive for regional operators seeking brand recognition through professional sport.
6. Germany
Germany allows licensed gambling companies to sponsor sports organizations, though regulatory requirements are stricter than in some neighboring markets. Brands including bwin and Betano have maintained partnerships in German football, while bookmaker main-shirt deals are less common.
Football Benchmark notes that Germany still permits licensed gambling operators on match shirts, unlike Spain and Italy, where direct betting promotion faces stronger restrictions.
7. France
France permits licensed gambling sponsorship in football under advertising and player-protection rules. Winamax has sponsored clubs including Le Havre and Strasbourg, while Paris Saint-Germain has worked with 1XBet for selected international markets.
Direct betting sponsorship is less widespread than in England or Romania, but France still provides bookmakers with several commercial options.
8. Denmark
Denmark has become a notable Nordic market for gambling brands in football. Betano became title sponsor of the Danish Cup in 2026, creating the Betano Pokalen, while the operator also has a sponsorship relationship with the 3F Superliga.
Competition naming rights offer repeated brand exposure across a full tournament rather than through one club.
9. Cyprus
Cyprus has a smaller professional sports sector, yet betting sponsorship is highly visible relative to the market’s size. Stoiximan supports APOEL and Apollon Limassol and has sponsorship links with the Cyprus football league and the Cyprus men’s national team.
These league, club, and national-team agreements give gambling companies a major presence in Cypriot sport.
10. Italy
Italy is an unusual case. Direct gambling advertising has faced strict restrictions since 2019, limiting conventional bookmaker shirt sponsorship. Betting groups have instead used sports-media and related branding arrangements. Inter’s agreement with Betsson Sport is one prominent example, while 1XBet has maintained a broadcasting sponsorship relationship with Serie A.
Italy therefore retains considerable commercial links with gambling companies even though sponsorship structures differ from those in more permissive markets.
How Gambling Sponsorship Rules Are Changing
Regulation now plays a major role in determining where gambling companies can place their brands. The Premier League’s official statement on gambling sponsorship confirms that clubs agreed to remove betting companies from the front of matchday shirts after the 2025/26 season. The restriction does not cover every other sponsorship category.
Across Europe’s Big Five leagues, gambling and gaming still represented more than ten main-shirt sponsor agreements as of April 2026. Spain bans gambling companies from shirt sponsorship, Italy restricts betting advertising, while Germany and France permit licensed operators under national rules.
| Rank | Country | Notable sponsorship pattern |
| 1 | United Kingdom | Club, training-kit and secondary betting deals |
| 2 | Czech Republic | League and major club sponsorships |
| 3 | Romania | League, club and multi-sport agreements |
| 4 | Greece | League naming rights and club deals |
| 5 | Poland | Strong bookmaker presence in football |
| 6 | Germany | Licensed football partnerships |
| 7 | France | Regulated club and regional deals |
| 8 | Denmark | Competition naming rights |
| 9 | Cyprus | League, club and national-team deals |
| 10 | Italy | Indirect and sports-media partnerships |
The main trend is a move away from traditional front-of-shirt deals in stricter markets toward naming rights, training kits, sleeve branding, regional agreements, and competition partnerships. England remains commercially important despite its new shirt rule, while Romania, Greece, Czechia, and Poland currently show some of the strongest betting-brand connections with professional sport.
This content is provided for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. AFP editorial staff were not involved in the creation of this content.
Share
