Kieran Maguire: Rangers could become financial ‘scapegoat’ as £7m fine issued
A front-of-shirt gambling sponsorship ban would be ‘harsh’ on Rangers after their sponsor 32Red was fined £7million.
That is the view of finance expert Kieran Maguire, who spoke exclusively to Football Insider about the issues around gambling sponsorship in football.
The government’s gambling commission revealed on Thursday (23 March) that online operator 32Red Limited will pay a £7.1million penalty for social responsibility and anti-money laundering failures.
Rangers extended their long-running partnership with 32Red in 2021 in a deal described as ‘the largest sponsor agreement in the club’s 150-year history’.
Front-of-shirt gambling sponsorships have been called into question in the Premier League this season, with the BBC reporting that the government are likely going to strike a deal to remove all gambling sponsors from football kits.
The controversy around 32Red could end up accelerating that process in Scotland too, although Maguire believes an all-or-nothing approach is needed to make a significant impact on gambling in sports.
“It is disappointing but not surprising that 32Red was fined for their lack of duty of care towards customers in respect of the gambling industry,” Maguire told Football Insider’s Sean Fisher.
“Having said that, to just have a ban on front–of-shirt deals is tokenism.
“If that takes place and there is still perimeter advertising allowed and advertising in broadcasts and radio then it seems harsh to simply target football clubs.
“Doing that will have no significant impact on the level of gambling around the sport.
“It either needs to be a much broader ban on gambling advertisement as we have seen in the smoking industry or none at all.
“Otherwise, clubs are being made to be the scapegoat for the gambling industry.“
In other news, Man City sensation Leuluai arrives at Rangers after permission granted