BoyleSports Replaces Betway as West Ham Sponsor Ahead of Gambling Ad Ban
BoyleSports has signed a one-year front-of-shirt sponsorship deal with West Ham United for the 2025/26 season, replacing Betway after a decade-long partnership. The agreement comes just before new Premier League rules banning front-of-shirt gambling sponsorships take effect.
£12 Million Deal Marks BoyleSports’ Premier League Return
The Irish bookmaker will feature on West Ham kits in what is reported to be a £12 million agreement. Based in Dundalk, BoyleSports previously partnered with Championship clubs Birmingham City and Coventry City, but the West Ham deal represents its highest-profile presence in English football to date.
The move signals BoyleSports’ final chance to leverage Premier League exposure before the voluntary sponsorship ban, agreed by clubs in 2023, takes full effect at the end of the 2025/26 season. The ban will prohibit gambling companies from appearing on the front of players’ shirts but does not extend to sleeve or training kit branding.
Sponsorship Under Scrutiny After TGP Europe Fallout
The broader environment for gambling sponsorship in English football remains tense. While the House of Lords recently rejected a proposal to extend restrictions via the Football Governance Act, debate around the role of betting operators in sport continues to grow.
This follows the abrupt market exit of TGP Europe, a white-label provider that held licences for 15 gambling brands. The company left the UK market after being told it would need to pay a £3.3 million fine for due diligence failures to continue operating.
The departure created regulatory uncertainty for several clubs whose shirt sponsors operated under TGP licences. This included Wolverhampton’s DEBET, Fulham’s SBOTOP, Newcastle’s Sportsbetio.uk, Bournemouth’s bj88, and Burnley’s 96.com—none of which are currently licensed by the Gambling Commission.
In response, the Commission contacted clubs directly, requesting evidence that appropriate due diligence had been carried out and that UK customers could no longer interact with unlicensed platforms.
Paquetá Facing FA Charges Over Suspected Betting Breaches
West Ham’s commercial moves come at a time when betting-related investigations continue to shadow the club. Midfielder Lucas Paquetá is under investigation for allegedly receiving yellow cards on purpose to influence betting markets.
He was charged in May 2025 with four breaches of FA Rule E5.1, which prohibits players from influencing events in matches for betting purposes. The case is ongoing.