Cricket Changes Rules On Gambling Sponsorships for UK Clubs
Cricket’s governing body in the UK has moved to ensure a responsible relationship between gambling and the sport through new rules on gambling sponsorships.
Cricket is introducing new rules surrounding gambling sponsorships. © Alfred Kenneally, Unsplash
Key Facts:
- The ECB has published a new code of conduct for its members
- All county clubs and teams in The Hundred need to follow rules
- Four key principles are the cornerstones of the new code
- The new county season is set to get underway later this week
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has published its new code of conduct on sponsorship agreements with gambling companies.
With the new county cricket season set to run on Friday, counties have been informed of their responsibilities around this area.
The ECB has worked with the government and other sporting bodies on the new code of conduct, which will be voluntary rather than mandatory.
It is based on four key principles: reinvestment into sport, maintaining sporting integrity, protecting children and adults at risk, and ensuring gambling promotions are responsible.
The ECB’s new code of conduct comes into immediate effect ahead of the 2025 season.
Compliance Reports
Within the new code of conduct, the ECB explained that the rules are voluntary, but breaches of the guidelines could be made public.
It said in the statement: “The ECB will report on the professional teams’ compliance with this code via an annual compliance statement which will be published on the ECB’s website, along with a copy of this code and a list of each sponsorship arrangement entered into by the professional teams.”
One of the key facets of the new code relates to the use of money earned by clubs from signing gambling sponsorships.
The ECB stated that gambling-related sponsorship income should be reinvested into the sport to support competition, infrastructure, and grassroots development.
Cricket is the latest UK sport to update its rules around gambling sponsorships, with Premier League teams set to be banned from featuring betting companies and casinos on the front of their shirts from the start of the 2025-26 season.
Action After Carse Case
The new rules on gambling sponsorships in cricket come shortly after one of England’s players had to serve a suspension for betting offences.
Fast bowler Brydon Carse, who was born in South Africa but has represented Durham’s county team since 2016, was banned for 16 months, but 13 of those were suspended.
Carse accepted charges related to bets that he made between 2017 and 2019, but none were linked to games he played, so there were no accusations of match-fixing.
Regardless, the Carse case highlighted the potentially problematic links between the sport and gambling, with the ECB hoping its new code will improve matters.
