International Cricket Council Lifts Ban on Shirt Sponsorship Deals with Gambling Companies

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has made the decision to lift a ban on gambling company logos appearing on shirts in test and one-day matches.

This means that cricket teams can now secure shirts sponsorship for contests in bilateral series but not in any competitions organized by the ICC.

However, according to a report in the The Times, the England team will not be permitted to wear gambling logos on their shirts as the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has stated that its anti-corruption code remains in place and not only prohibits “participants” from gambling on matches but also from “enticing or encouraging any other party to enter into a bet in relation to … any other match or competition”.

The move from the ICC comes as the ECB is investigating test coach Brendon McCullum’s links to betting company 22Bet. New Zealander McCullum has joined the company as an ambassador appearing in multiple ads online.

In a statement given to the BBC, the ECB said:

“We are exploring the matter and are in discussions with Brendon around his relationship with 22Bet. We have rules in place around gambling and will always seek to ensure these are followed.”

The ICC’s decision to lift its ban comes just a few days after English Premier League clubs voted to voluntarily cease all front-of-shirt gambling sponsorship deals by the end of the 2025/26 season. A ban on such deals is one of the expected recommendations in the upcoming white papr on the UK gambling industry which is expected to be published in the coming weeks.

Based in Galway, Ireland, Ciaran has over a decade of experience writing for some of the biggest names in the sports-betting, gambling, poker & casino industries.