UPDATED: 11/06/2020 – Spanish government has lifted advertising restrictions. Read more.

Football teams in the Spanish La Liga Santander have been ordered to remove or hide all betting sponsorship from their shirts for the first three match days of the restarted season.

Under Article 37 of the Royal Decree of the State of Emergency which is currently in force in Spain, gambling advertising is banned. However, Leganes, Valencia, Sevilla, Osasuna, Levante, Alaves, Granada, and Real Mallorca all have betting operators as their main sponsors, and several other clubs have betting advertising featured somewhere on their shirts. 

The State of Emergency will remain in force in Spain until at least 21 June, but each LaLiga club is slated to play three games before then, and many of the clubs are heavily reliant on revenue from their betting sponsorship deals. 

LaLiga is said to be attempting to resolve the problem, but the ultimate decision will rest with the government. A source close to the Minister of Consumer Affairs is reported as saying:

“The government approved the banning of gambling advertising in March in order to protect the most vulnerable people during lockdown. The overexposure to this sort of advertisement threatened to generate a public health problem. As the risk decreases and always considering the maximum criteria of public health, the necessary measures to advance into the new normal will be taken.”

Unless the government agrees to change the law, no betting logos or branding will be allowed on shirts, in stadiums, or on TV broadcasts until 21 June. 

AYO.NEWS says:

With La Liga set to restart tomorrow, time is running out to find a resolution to what could be a major problem for clubs. With almost two weeks set to be subject to the sponsorship ban as things stand, will gambling sponsors demand compensation or be willing to take the hit?

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

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