Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether he has had discussions with the Football Association to discourage football clubs from accepting betting companies as their shirt sponsor.

As with gambling advertising, gambling sponsorship arrangements must be socially responsible and must never be targeted at children. The gambling industry code for socially responsible advertising requires that gambling logos must not appear on any merchandising designed for children, including replica shirts in children’s sizes. Sports themselves also have a responsibility to ensure their audiences are protected and we encourage all organisations who benefit from gambling advertising or sponsorship, including football clubs, to look at how they can contribute to raising awareness of the potential risks associated with gambling.

Gambling adverts are already banned on under-18 team shirts and last year the Football Association voluntarily decided to end its sponsorship partnerships with betting companies to avoid conflict with its role in enforcing rules on betting.