Nottingham Forest’s shirts will have a new look as the club embarks on its first European campaign in 30 years.
Due to strict Spanish advertising regulations, the club is unable to carry the logo of Bally’s Corporation for its opening game against Real Betis.
Under the rules of Spain’s Royal Decree on Advertising any form of sponsorship or marketing from betting companies in Spanish football is prohibited, whether that be in domestic leagues or internationally.
Instead, the front-of-shirt space has been donated to the Nottingham Forest Community Trust.
A club statement read: “Nottingham Forest Community Trust plays a vital role across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, using the power of sport, education, and wellbeing to help communities and individuals to thrive, with the aim of ensuring everybody – regardless of background – can reach their full potential.”
This is not the first time that teams have been forced to adjust their sponsor while competing in European competitions.
Fellow Premier League side Aston Villa have switched their sponsor to the charity Acorns from Betano for several matches across the Champions League and Europa League in previous seasons due to local regulations.
Meanwhile, last season, Germany’s VfB Stuttgart played without the Winamax logo on their shirts when they took on Real Madrid.
The rules around sports sponsorship in Spain form part of wider regulations that restrict gambling sector marketing, falling under the Royal Decree from 2020.
Until 2024, welcome bonuses and influencer marketing were also banned, while TV and radio advertising was restricted to between 1am and 5am.
However, following a determination by the Supreme Court, the Decree’s laws were revised, allowing some social media advertising, the use of celebrities in advertising campaigns and the return of welcome bonuses.
Since then, the Spanish online gaming market has experienced a surge in activity.
Data published by the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumption and the 2030 Agenda (MAS) revealed that the number of online players increased by 21.36% last year while the number of accounts by 23.48%.
“Welcome bonuses didn’t just come back –they redefined the commercial playbook. Their reintroduction reignited a sharp focus on customer acquisition, prompting operators to invest more creatively in marketing while adhering to updated compliance standards,” said Fernando Martín, Partner at Loyra Abogados, reflecting on the impact of the rule changes.
Premier League sponsorship ban flaws
The presence of the betting and gaming industry within football remains a concern for politicians and governing bodies around the world.
In an attempt to combat the visibility of the industry, Premier League clubs have agreed to a ban on gambling front-of-shirt sponsorships from the 2026/27 onwards.
However, due to being a competition-specific rule, European teams heading to face Premier League opposition will not have to make the same concession as Nottingham Forest.
In addition, UEFA, European football’s governing body, has also strengthened its relationship with the betting industry, recruiting bet365 and Betano as the official betting partners of the Champions League and Europa and Conference Leagues, respectively.
Therefore, the gambling industry still will retain visibility on European nights in the UK going forward.
Premier League regulations can go some way to minimising the exposure of gambling operators to its audiences during the weekend’s action; it won’t be able to fully eradicate gambling ads from football without the government being onboard, as is the case in Spain.
Looking to the future, it’s clear that to achieve a more significant blackout, as seen in Spain and elsewhere, greater unity is required between officials, competitions and the government.
Domestic Cup conundrum
There is also something to be said about domestic cup competitions. Whilst there are only a limited number of gambling sponsors on the front of shirt in the EFL, new regulations will be powerless in terms of stopping them gaining exposure at Premier League grounds should they be drawn against top flight opposition.
This will be of specific concern when it comes to the FA Cup, which draws significant viewing figures and is viewed as the most decorated domestic cup competition in Europe.
