Brentford’s betting sponsor renewal has prioritised cash over taking a stand

Brentford wanted to send out an important message when they launched their new home kit on Tuesday morning. The club will wear their new red-and-white strip, which has been manufactured by the British-based sports supplier Umbro, for the next two seasons.

This will be the fourth time they have rolled over one of their kits since they were promoted to the Premier League in 2021. Brentford are the only top-flight side who do not release a new home and away kit every season. It is an admirable scheme that was implemented to help keep costs down for fans and promote sustainability.

However, that message has been made completely redundant by the large logo for the South African-based gambling firm Hollywoodbets being emblazoned on the front of the shirt.

— Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) July 4, 2023

Ivan Toney, Brentford’s top goalscorer last season, was diagnosed with a gambling addiction and handed an eight-month ban from football earlier this year after being found guilty of breaching the Football Association’s rules on gambling. The FA investigated Toney for months, seized his bank records and checked messages on his phone. He eventually admitted to 232 breaches of the rules, which took place between February 2017 and January 2021. This included 13 bets on his own team to lose in seven different matches and 16 bets on his own team to win in 15 different matches.

Football has a complicated relationship with gambling and has become over-reliant on the money it generates. Last season, eight of the 20 Premier League clubs — including Brentford — had betting firms as their main sponsors, while the EFL has a long-term partnership with SkyBet. The Athletic — like other media outlets — has gambling adverts on its content, too. Matthew Benham, Brentford’s owner, made his fortune from setting up a betting syndicate called Smartodds.

When Toney’s punishment was announced in May, Thomas Frank — Brentford’s head coach — spoke about the prevalence of gambling firms within football.

“(Ivan) is an example for all in the football world to learn from,” Frank said. “We also need to review the relationship between football and gambling. I don’t have the answer.

“For me, in a perfect world, we don’t have gambling adverts. But I guess they’ll find a way to come in anywhere else so it will still be out there. If we have that, we need to look at what are good companies to support our club. The other part is you need to have money to run the club, how do we find that fine balance?

“That’s why I’m a coach and not a CEO. I know what I would pick on a personal integrity level, but I know it’s not that easy to take those decisions.”

Frank was not involved in Brentford’s decision to extend their partnership with Hollywoodbets until 2025, but it does mean his words now ring hollow.

Brentford are often described as a model football club. Bees United, the Brentford Supporters Trust, saved the club from financial disaster in 2006. As a result, they have a representative on the club’s board and a special share that gives them the power to veto certain decisions. They are the only Premier League club with fan representation at board level.

Their owner is a lifelong supporter of the club, they moved into a new stadium in August 2020 without any major teething issues, and they have one of the lowest season ticket prices in the league. Following fan consultation, they froze their ticket prices for the 2023-24 campaign.

Yet, Brentford have made the wrong decision by sticking with Hollywoodbets. They could have taken a stand and shown real support for Toney, but instead, they have prioritised their cash flow.

During the FA’s investigation into Toney’s gambling activity, the striker was interviewed twice by Dr Philip Hopley — a consultant psychiatrist. Dr Hopley concluded Toney “has a clear history of gambling addiction” and that he had an impulsive/compulsive disorder. Toney had stopped betting on football by this point but still gambled on other sports and casino games. The 27-year-old is undergoing therapy to address the issue.

But how can he ever truly move on from his addiction when every time he walks out onto the pitch and enjoys the sport he loves, there will be a gambling company splashed across his shirt? In a statement to The Athletic, The Big Step campaign, which aims to end all gambling adverts and sponsorship in football, called Brentford’s decision to keep Hollywoodbets on the front of their shirts “regrettable and careless”.

“Next season, Ivan Toney will return to play for Brentford as a billboard for the addiction he is recovering from,” The Big Step said. “That is not fair, not safe and frankly bonkers. It’s time for the government to step in and end all gambling advertising in football to protect fans and players alike.”

If you force young people to endorse addictive products, don’t be surprised if they use them. pic.twitter.com/U5ONQIrnvP

— The Big Step (@the_bigstep) March 1, 2023

In April, the Premier League announced it will ban betting logos from the front of clubs’ shirts. The rule will not come into effect until the 2026-27 season, but even when it does, sleeve sponsorships and adverts on pitchside hoardings inside stadiums will still be permitted. Brentford are supportive of the decision but actions speak louder than words.

Brentford’s new deal with Hollywoodbets lasts for two years, but the company’s visibility will slowly be reduced during that time. The B team, women’s team and academy sides will be separately sponsored by PensionBee, while Hollywoodbets will not appear on the first team’s training ground kit from the 2024-25 season. The number of betting advertisements inside the Gtech Community Stadium will decrease, too. They are also bringing in a revised player and staff education programme around betting in football.

The club’s intention is to stop having a gambling firm as their main sponsor a year before the ban comes into effect. The next two years are being seen as a transitional period as they focus on finding and securing different revenue streams.

Brentford considered alternatives before renewing their deal with Hollywoodbets, but the reality is that there is a significant drop off in the money clubs receive from betting and non-betting brands. Brentford’s desire to invest in the first team — they have just signed Nathan Collins from Wolverhampton Wanderers for a club-record fee of £23million — improve infrastructure, and keep season ticket prices low made it difficult to turn that cash down.

For example, if Brentford doubled their season ticket and match ticket prices, it would make up the difference between having a betting and a non-betting sponsor. This is not something that was ever considered, though, with the club having frozen season ticket and match ticket prices this season.

Brentford are not the only club that will still be sponsored by a betting firm despite the upcoming ban. Aston Villa struck a three-year deal with BK8, a white-label gambling firm, earlier this month, while other teams, including West Ham United and Bournemouth, also have gambling companies on the front of their shirts.

Brentford have always set themselves apart from other clubs by being family-friendly and closely connected to their local community. It is just a shame their latest move is completely out of step with that image.