Nottingham Forest given government warning – Keith Wyness responds
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness has claimed Nottingham Forest will face no problems with their agreement with the controversial unlicensed sportsbook Kaiyun Sports.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, the 66-year-old – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – claimed the Chinese outfit will only be targeting the Asian market with their kit sponsorships.
As per The Athletic (25 July), Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace have received warnings from the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), which is a part of the government, concerning their partnerships with Kaiyun Sports.
The Asian sportsbook is not licensed to operate in the UK and both clubs have been warned they face breaking the law if the site becomes available in Great Britain.
Kaiyun has been the front-of-shirt sponsor at Nottingham Forest since last year, with that deal set to expire in less than 12 months.
Betting sponsors have long been controversial in the Premier League and they are set to be banned in time for the 2026-27 campaign.
Nottingham Forest face ‘no issue’ despite government warning
Wyness told Football Insider‘s Insider Track podcast: “It’s interesting.
“I looked into this in some detail and the basic theory is that Kaiyun Sports is not approved by the Gambling Commission in the UK.
“The argument will be that they are not targeting the UK market, they’re using it to target the Asian market.
“When I was at Everton we had Chang – who were targeting the Asian market. They had no sales in the UK – and this deal at Forest is similar.
“Forest have spoken to the Gambling Commission, clarifying that they are in full compliance with the rules.
“In 2026-27, gambling sponsors will be gone. I think Forest will be ok until that ban comes into effect, I don’t see an issue.”
In other news, Premier League could investigate Newcastle and Forest deal.
For more Nottingham Forest and exclusive news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.