Kieran Maguire: Everton to ‘circumvent’ Premier League ban as ‘highly volatile’ details emerge
Everton sponsor Stake.com will likely find a way to “circumvent” the Premier League’s imminent ban on front-of-shirt gambling sponsorship.
That is the view of finance guru Kieran Maguire, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about the Toffees’ relationship with the cryptocurrency-based bookmaker.
Everton announced in June that they had signed a club-record deal with Stake.com, whose branding will feature on their kits for at least the next two years.
Stake.com attracted criticism when they tweeted out a promotion on Wednesday (24 August) that requires customers to wager $5,000 in order to attain a $10 bonus.
Martyn Ziegler, chief sports reporter for The Times, later tweeted: “Any moves by some PL clubs to block a voluntary ban on gambling shirt sponsorship has probably been screwed by this”.
It has been widely reported that the Premier League will soon introduce a voluntary ban on front-of-shirt gambling sponsorship.
But Maguire forecasts that gambling sponsors will simply “reposition” themselves to get around the ban.
“I think this indicates that the proposals of any voluntary ban are easily circumvented,” he told Football Insider’s Adam Williams.
“Sponsors can reposition themselves to continue to be involved in football and generate the legitimacy that they crave.
“It’s an unregulated, highly volatile and easily manipulated product that they are selling. They are trying to use football as a means of normalising it in the eyes of the public.”
Everton have recorded losses in excess of £370million over the last three financial years.
Commercial income from sponsors will be key if they are to rake back the deficit.
In other news, Nottingham Forest make approach to sign Everton star Michael Keane.