Premier League teams set to avoid betting sponsor ban for shirts

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According to The Times, the UK government is dropping proposals to ban English Premier League sides from having betting firms as shirt sponsors.

Speculation over the long-term viability of gambling sponsors in the game has been mounting after the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) launched a review of the Gambling Act in December 2020. At the time, multiple UK media outlets reported that shirt sponsorships could be outlawed by 2023.

At the end of March, The Telegraph reported that 20 English Football League (EFL) and non-league clubs had called on the government to push ahead with banning gambling sponsorship on shirts.

The letter from the clubs, coordinated by the Gambling With Lives campaign group, was the latest effort from betting harm awareness campaigners reportedly fearful the government was having second thoughts over radical reforms.

In April, the UK’s Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) announced plans to ban betting adverts from featuring sports stars and social media influencers. Betting firms will also be prevented from including teams’ official kits and stadiums in any potential campaigns, as well as showing video game content.

The measures, which kick in from October 1, were part of a wide-ranging list of new regulations intended to reduce the appeal of gambling industry marketing to those aged under 18.

In May, the BBC reported a proposal to outlaw shirt sponsorship deals with betting brands had been included in a government draft whitepaper. In the same month, The Times reported that ministers were expected to water down those plans after a backlash from the gambling industry

Now, according to The Times, the proposal to stop gambling companies from sponsoring club shirts have been ditched. This includes the top-tier Premier League, though the government is reportedly hoping to reach a voluntary agreement with clubs and is keeping the option of legislation in reserve.

Plans for a mandatory levy on the gambling industry to fund research and treatment of addiction, based on the ‘polluter pays’ principle, have also purportedly been rejected.

The government has said it will publish the white paper as part of its review of gambling legislation in the coming weeks.

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SBS expands Australian Championship broadcast coverage for 2026

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Image Credits: Football Australia

The Australian Championship will enter its second season with an expanded broadcast partnership between Football Australia and SBS. The 2026 competition will feature two live SBS broadcasts in every round, marking an increase from the tournament’s debut season.

Thursday night football will form a key part of the new broadcast schedule. The opening match will see Preston Lions face Wollongong Wolves on October 15th, with the game broadcast live on SBS2 and SBS On Demand. Saturday football will also remain part of the free-to-air schedule; first up, Sutherland Sharks’ clash with South Melbourne on October 17th will be shown live on SBS and SBS On Demand.

The expanded agreement gives the competition a greater presence across SBS’s linear channels while retaining its full streaming coverage, with every match across the 2026 Australian Championship available live on SBS On Demand. The platform also provides full replays and highlights for viewers to access at their discretion.

In addition to SBS’ coverage, Football Australia will also stream the competition via YouTube.

The Australian Championship consists of a six-round group stage, finals beginning at quarter-finals from November 26, and a Grand Final scheduled currently between December 10-12.

It features 16 clubs from seven states and territories. The broadcast schedule places several historic fixtures in front of a national audience: South Melbourne will meet Sydney United 58 in a repeat of the 1999 NSL Grand Final, and Sydney Olympic and Marconi Stallions will also renew a rivalry that includes NSL Grand Final meetings in 1989 and 1990.

GIS Sydney continues to connect students with Australia’s sports industry

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Image Credits: Global Institute of Sport

Following the launch of its Sydney campus in 2025, the Global Institute of Sport (GIS) is continuing to establish itself in the nation’s sports industry. A leading provider of degrees and executive education in sport, GIS provides students the chance to study at two of Australia’s biggest sporting venues: Allianz Stadium and the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).

Programs such as Sports Analytics and International Sports Business are delivered in collaboration with the University of Newcastle, and feature the chance for students to gain exclusive access to the sports industry.

More than 50 guest speakers have shared their experience with students studying at GIS Sydney, representing organisations like FIFA, Red Bull, Cricket Australia, and the AFL. While learning about the regional and national sports industry in the classroom, students have also had the chance to gain an international perspective through GIS’ signature Global Sports Summits, which have given Sydney students access to iconic sporting venues around the world from London to Miami.

Outside of the iconic venues students can call their classrooms, the organisation prioritises the real, industry placements needed to put theory into practice by providing each student with 140 hours of relevant work experience throughout their studies. Included in this are several sporting organisations who are keen to welcome GIS students on board, including the Professional Football Scouts Association (PFSA), Football Coaches Australia, and Basketball NSW.

GIS also has a partnership with popular network and app Yakka Sport to connect students with paid employment opportunities while they study.

Behind these advancements at the GIS Sydney campus is an Industry Advisory Board which features a host of experienced figures from the world of sport. Included in the Asia-Pacific branch is Chair James Rosengarten, GM of the Melbourne Renegades; Kevin Jang, Managing Director of CAA Stellar Korea; and Brad Lloyd, GM of the Carlton Football Club.

Since launching, GIS’ Sydney campus has ultimately combined its locations and industry connections to provide the next generation of sports professionals with the knowledge, network, and confidence to tackle the rapidly evolving sports industry.

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