Nottingham Forest has announced a headline commercial agreement with Bally’s Corporation, marking the final leg of gambling sponsorships on Premier League shirts ahead of a significant regulatory shift.
The deal sees the U.S.-based gaming and interactive entertainment firm take over as front-of-shirt sponsor for the 2025–26 season — a strategic move by Forest just ahead of the Premier League’s impending ban on gambling sponsors in that space. Bally’s branding will debut on the club’s home kit during a pre-season friendly against Fiorentina at the City Ground.
While the league-wide decision to phase out front-of-shirt gambling deals was confirmed in 2023, clubs have retained the ability to sign such partnerships up until the end of the 2025–26 season. Post-ban, gambling brands will still be permitted on shirt sleeves, training wear, and within digital or in-stadium advertising formats.
Forest’s owner Evangelos Marinakis positioned the deal as part of a broader global expansion push, commenting that the club is “on a special journey” and eager to “strengthen global partnerships” to match its on-pitch ambitions.
This announcement places Forest among 11 Premier League clubs currently featuring gambling companies on the front of their kits — up from eight last season — highlighting how clubs continue to leverage this lucrative category while the window remains open.
The broader ban stems from ongoing consultations between Premier League stakeholders and the UK’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), as part of a sweeping review into the social and economic role of gambling in British sport.
As the Premier League prepares to turn the page on one of its most financially significant but controversial sponsorship categories, Forest’s deal with Bally’s represents both an opportunistic final chapter and a reminder of how commercial strategy is adjusting to a shifting regulatory landscape.
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IMAGE: Nottingham Forest FC
