The main shirt sponsor for Everton Football Club has decided to relinquish its operating rights in Great Britain following an inquiry related to an advertisement involving adult film star Bonnie Blue.
In a social media clip filmed at Nottingham Trent University, Bonnie Blue claimed to be present, as she said, “to fulfill a promise” of “spending the night with 180 freshly-turned 18-year-olds,” all while the Stake logo was visible in the video.
Advocacy groups pressed the culture secretary to intervene regarding the advertisement, arguing against the use of sexual material to promote gambling among young people.
The Gambling Commission announced it will formally remind Everton of its obligation to prevent accessibility to unlicensed gambling websites that are advertised on their shirts by audiences in Great Britain.
The Commission is also reaching out to Nottingham Forest and Leicester City, as both clubs have sponsorships with companies like Kaiyun and BC.Game, neither of which hold licenses to operate within Great Britain.
As a result of the investigation by the Gambling Commission, the Australian betting platform Stake has opted to withdraw from Great Britain.
It is reported that Everton has no forthcoming intentions of replacing Stake as its primary shirt sponsor.
The English Premier League enjoys a massive global following, frequently resulting in sponsorship agreements with firms that do not maintain operations in the UK.
Stake, which appears on Everton’s playing gear, brands itself as the “leading cryptocurrency-based casino and sportsbook worldwide.” It permits users to bet on sporting events and virtual gambling activities, although users in Great Britain are prohibited from using Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.
The platform operates under a licensing agreement facilitated by a company headquartered in the Isle of Man, TGP Europe, employing a “white label” model often utilized by international gambling entities aiming to enter the UK market without major investment in resources.
The Gambling Commission noted that Stake’s operations in Great Britain will cease accepting new users, with full closure scheduled for March 11.
In a statement, Stake mentioned that it had “mutually decided with TGP Europe to discontinue white-label agreements to concentrate on securing local permits via our proprietary platform and services, expanding from our recent successful market entries in Italy and Brazil.”
The governing body intends to remind the clubs that their representatives could face severe penalties, including up to 51 weeks in imprisonment and unlimited financial punishments, should they be found guilty of promoting “illegal gambling sites.”
It seeks assurances from these clubs that they have conducted comprehensive checks on their white-label affiliates to ensure UK consumers are unable to engage with the unlicensed platforms.
Such measures may require the clubs to ensure these websites prevent access to UK-based users, even those employing Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), which enable access to prohibit sites by masking the user’s virtual location.
The Commission also indicated that if users require fund retrieval post-closure, they should reach out to the gambling provider via its website for assistance.
In January, Bonnie Blue – real name Tia Billinger – attempted to set a record for the highest number of intimate partners within a 12-hour span. She wasn’t a subject of the Commission’s probe nor is there any implication of misconduct on her end.
The advert was not shared by an authorized Stake account and has since been removed.
Premier League teams have consented to cease featuring gambling firms as main shirt sponsors by the close of the 2025-26 season, though they might still permit gambling-related advertising on other areas such as sleeve patches and digital signage.
Both governmental authorities and advocacy groups have heightened scrutiny over the prevalence of gambling company sponsorships in football.
A 2024 study revealed an almost threefold increase in betting advertisements during the opening weekend of the Premier League season compared to the previous year.
Campaigners, among them ex-Stoke City athlete Tony Kelly, have highlighted concerns regarding the potential negative consequences of sports gambling, particularly the risk of addiction.
Everton and Leicester City have refrained from commenting. The BBC has reached out to Nottingham Forest, Bonnie Blue alias Tia Billinger, and TGP Europe for statements.