- Jette Nygaard-Andersen says “clubs and football leagues would like to avoid” advertising curbs
- UK government had delayed outlining legislation while selecting new PM
Gambling giant Entain is bracing itself for tougher sports sponsorship regulation under the new UK Prime Minister Liz Truss.
The Isle of Man-headquartered company owns the likes of Bwin, Coral and Ladbrokes, which have close commercial ties across the British sports space.
The UK government had been poised to put forward legislation designed to curb the abundance of betting brands in sport, including a potential ban on shirt sponsorships. However, the proposals were shelved until a new Prime Minister was appointed.
With Truss now in place, Entain chief executive Jette Nygaard-Andersen (picture above) is preparing for various restrictions.
“I do think there will be something around sponsorships,” she told Bloomberg, adding “clubs and football leagues would like to avoid” advertising restrictions.
According to The Times in July, Premier League clubs are already set to agree to a voluntary ban on betting shirt sponsorships. This could see their income be cut by UK£5 million (US$5.8 million) to UK£10 million (US$11.6 million) per season.
Despite a possible hit to is UK revenue, Entain, which owns half of online betting operator BetMGM, looks to be revelling in the burgeoning US betting market. Nygaard-Andersen expects “another record-breaking season” thanks to National Football League (NFL) wagering in the States.
A study by the American Gaming Association (AGA) claims a record 46.6 million American adults, or 18 per cent, plan to bet on the NFL this season, an increase of three per cent from last year.
In 2021, Entain had been the subject of takeovers from MGM and DraftKings, though both failed to get over the line. Nygaard-Andersen, however, seemed to have no regrets.
“We’re not a business that’s for sale,” she said. “I’m very focused on growing this business. I see Entain as the consolidator.”
