Premier League chief executive Richard Masters ‘not sniffy about gambling’

Liam Watson
English Premier League’s new chief executive, Richard Masters, has expressed the gambling industry needs tighter regulation as the debate over how betting is used in soccer continues.

Masters, who was confirmed as the permanent head of the English top-flight in December following an interim basis, told Sky News that the league was not considering outlawing betting entirely, but greater safeguarding measures are being considered.

British government ministers have committed to reviewing the 2005 Gambling Act looking to add greater restrictions around betting companies’ involvement in sports, with The Times reporting that a blanket ban was also a possibility.

“We’re not sniffy about the gambling industry,” said Masters.

“The Premier League has never had a betting relationship, but it’s our clubs that enter into shirt sponsorship.

“The whole area does need, I think, probably, slightly firmer regulation, particularly around the most vulnerable. But I don’t necessarily think that the answer should be that clubs should no longer have betting partnerships.”

Masters statements come as bookmakers consider a voluntary ban on soccer shirt sponsorship and pitch side advertising.

Brigid Simmonds, Chair of the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), which represents 90 per cent of the betting and gaming industry, told the House of Lords’ Gambling Industry Committee that it was “absolutely open” to reducing advertising around sport.

“We are certainly looking at the whole issue of sponsorship,” she said.

“We can consider this going forward, we are active in considering it.

The gambling industry does seem aware of its need to self-regulate. The BGC says that the whistle-to-whistle ban has reduced gambling advertising on television by 85 per cent, whilst GVC, the parent company of Ladbrokes and Coral, has already withdrawn its sponsorship in soccer.

For the 2019/20 season, half of the 20 teams in the Premier League have gambling firms as their main shirt sponsor, earning them a combined UK£69.6 million (AU$133.7 million). Even teams without betting brands as a lead partner have smaller partnerships in the industry.

Gambling’s influence is also felt in lower leagues. In the second-tier Championship, 15 of the 24 teams have betting companies as their shirt sponsor, while the English Football League (EFL), which oversees the three divisions below the Premier League, is sponsored by Sky Bet. The organisation has described income from gambling firms as a ‘significant’ part of its financial model.

In addition, the Football Association (FA), English soccer’s governing body, was heavily criticised for selling online streaming rights to FA Cup games to betting companies, via a third party. The FA has said it will assess those relationships during the next rights cycle.

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Central Coast Mariners Women secure future under Holman Barnes Group

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Image Credits: Central Coast Mariners

The future of the Central Coast Mariners Women has been secured after the Holman Barnes Group (HBG) reached an agreement to become the new operator of the club’s A-League Women program. The deal ends uncertainty surrounding the team’s participation in the 2026/27 season.

The agreement between HBG, the Australian Professional Leagues (APL) and Total Soccer Growth Holdings (TSG) ensures the Mariners will remain in the Ninja A-League Women competition. It also introduces a new operating model designed to provide long-term stability.

The uncertainty emerged following TSG’s acquisition of the Central Coast Mariners’ men’s side and academy in June. The women’s program was excluded from the original takeover. TSG already owns English football side Queens Park Rangers (QPR) and MLS club Los Angeles FC. The omission placed the future of the 2025 A-League Women champions in doubt. It also prompted the APL to seek a sustainable solution ahead of the new campaign.

A new operating model

Under the new arrangement, HBG will oversee all operational aspects of the women’s team. This includes the football program, staffing and day-to-day management. TSG will retain the club licence and continue overseeing the men’s program and academy. It will also support the women’s operation through its broader football network.

The agreement represents an innovative partnership between the three organisations. It has been designed to strengthen the long-term sustainability of professional women’s football on the Central Coast. HBG’s plans extend beyond the senior team. They include a strong focus on developing participation pathways and creating greater opportunities for female footballers throughout New South Wales.

Attention turns to the new season

The transition comes at a crucial time with preparations for the 2026/27 Ninja A-League Women season underway ahead of its October 16 start. The new operators are expected to begin managing the program immediately. This remains subject to the completion of the remaining regulatory processes. The team currently has no sponsors and games are expected to be moved away from Central Coast Stadium.

The A-League had previously set a July 31 deadline for new owners to be found to secure a place in the upcoming competition. With that now achieved, HBG will be on the clock to ensure the season begins without disruption and becomes a commercial success.

For the Central Coast Mariners Women, the agreement delivers certainty after a turbulent off-season. It also allows the club to shift its attention to the 2026/27 campaign and the team’s on-field performance.

South Melbourne’s Australia Cup triumph reignites promotion and relegation debate

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Image Credit: The Greek Herald

South Melbourne FC’s dramatic 2-1 victory over Adelaide United in the Hahn Australia Cup Round of 32 has reignited debate around promotion and relegation in Australian football, with Co-President Bill Papastergiadis stating the result is further proof that ambitious National Premier Leagues clubs deserve a pathway to the top tier.

The Victorian powerhouse produced one of the competition’s biggest upsets at Lakeside Stadium, overturning an early deficit to eliminate the Isuzu UTE A-League side and secure a place in the Round of 16.

While the result was celebrated as another example of the magic of the Australia Cup, Papastergiadis believes the victory carries a much broader message about the strength that exists outside Australia’s professional league.

Speaking following the win, Papastergiadis said South Melbourne’s performance demonstrated why the Australian football landscape should move towards a connected pyramid featuring promotion and relegation.

“The result was South Melbourne FC’s revenge 22 years in the making,” Papastergiadis said.

“It also demonstrates that clubs in the National Premier Leagues have the quality, professionalism and ambition to compete with A-League opposition when given the opportunity.”

For years, South Melbourne has been one of the strongest advocates for structural reform within Australian football, consistently calling for an open pyramid that rewards sporting merit rather than maintaining a closed league system.

Papastergiadis argued that Australia Cup fixtures continue to showcase the depth of talent throughout the domestic game, with NPL clubs regularly proving they can challenge and defeat professional opponents despite operating with significantly fewer resources.

He believes these performances should not simply be viewed as isolated “cupsets”, but as evidence that Australia’s football ecosystem is ready to embrace a promotion and relegation model that provides ambitious clubs with a genuine pathway to the top flight.

The result against Adelaide United adds another significant chapter to South Melbourne’s storied history. One of Australia’s most successful clubs, South Melbourne has long maintained aspirations of returning to the national stage, backed by a passionate supporter base, strong infrastructure and a proud footballing tradition.

For Papastergiadis, victories such as Thursday night’s reinforce the argument that clubs should earn opportunities through performances on the pitch.

“The Australia Cup continues to show what’s possible when clubs from different levels of the football pyramid compete against one another,” he said.

“Our football should be built on opportunity and merit. Clubs that perform consistently and invest in their communities should have the chance to progress to the highest level.”

South Melbourne will now turn its attention to the Round of 16, where it will look to continue its impressive cup run.

Beyond the result itself, however, the victory has once again fuelled discussion around the future of Australia’s football structure and whether the growing strength of clubs outside the A-League should accelerate the push towards a fully connected national competition.

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