Aston Villa has a new gambling sponsor

Aston Villa is partnering with controversial betting company BK8 despite the English Premier League’s (EPL) imminent front-of-shirt gambling sponsor ban.

Villa released images of its kits for the upcoming season Thursday, and BK8’s logo could be seen front and center.

The deal will run through 2026, at which time the sponsorship prohibition will go into effect. That partnership has not been well received by the club’s supporters, who penned a letter claiming they were misled by former executive Christian Purslow. According to them, he promised that neither BK8 nor any other gambling company would be enlisted as the team’s primary sponsor.

sexually explicit material used by the company for promotion

BK8 struck a partnership with Norwich City a couple of years ago, but saw it end swiftly as fans criticized the sexually explicit material used by the company for promotion.

EPL teams agreed in April to oust gambling companies as front-of-shirt sponsors at the start of the 2026-27 season. Although it is legal for teams to continue existing deals or even forge new partnerships with such entities until that time, it is generally frowned upon.

Match of the Day host Gary Lineker took to Twitter to share his verdict on Villa’s new partner.

BK8 has promised to make a donation to a Birmingham charity for every third adult kit that is sold.

Chelsea also recently engaged in conversations with gambling company Stake about a potential partnership, though nothing has materialized.