This summer, Everton confirmed that their commercial arrangement with Stake has seen the company move from being the club's front-of-shirt sponsor to now appearing on the sleeve of matchday shirts. It's a change that's been driven by the new Premier League rules that state gambling sponsors are no longer permitted to appear on the front of Premier League shirts. 

A New Look For Everton Shirts

For four seasons, Stake occupied the most prominent position on Everton matchday shirts, with the brand's logo displayed front and centre in a deal that was reportedly worth £10M per season. That arrangement, which has been in place since 2022, now looks a little different. UK financial services firm CMC Markets has replaced Stake as front-of-shirt sponsor in a lucrative deal, with Stake now becoming Everton's official sleeve partner.

Rather than cutting all ties with Stake, Everton simply renegotiated their agreement and repositioned them. The operator will also continue to have a presence around the football club, such as on matchday at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, at Goodison Park during Everton Women's fixtures, and at the club's Finch Farm training base.

Why The Front-Of-Shirt Ban Is In Place

The front-of-shirt ban in the Premier League was voluntarily agreed by clubs back in 2023, with the new rules being enforced from this season onwards. There was a desire to remove gambling sponsors from the most visible position on shirts, with the commitment designed to head off tighter government intervention, allowing the league to manage the transition itself rather than it being forced upon teams.

Crucially, the ban only applies to the front of the shirt at present. So, a reputable casino site or a respected sports betting platform can still work with Premier League clubs. Sleeve sponsorship, training kit branding, and stadium advertising are all legitimate ways that gambling companies can still gain exposure via top-flight clubs.

Last season, the 2025/26 campaign, over half the teams in the Premier League carried a gambling brand of some sort on the front of their shirt, so the scale of the reshuffle that's had to take place recently is considerable.

Stake's Reduced But Still Visible Role

Everton's hierarchy has been keen to frame the renewed deal as a natural evolution of a long-standing relationship rather than a downgrade that has been forced by the new regulations. It's been pointed out by the powers that be that Stake's understanding of Everton's fanbase and global reach are reasons why the partnership has been extended, with Stake's people describing the move to a sleeve sponsor as an opportunity to keep building on years of experience working together.

Founded nearly a decade ago in 2017, Stake has been able to grow a sizeable presence in sport and entertainment, with links to the UFC, eSports and cricket, as well as a roster of ambassadors that include fighters and football players. The Everton deal remains one of the company's most high-profile partnerships, even in its now scaled-back form.

Questions Still Surround Stake

The story with Stake doesn't really end there. In 2025, the company actually gave up their UK gambling licence, and while there are no current rules to prevent an unlicensed operator from promoting its brand in the country, that is something that could change in the future.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has now launched a review into sports sponsorship involving gambling brands that do not hold a valid UK Gambling Commission-issued licence, with football sponsorships, including Everton's with Stake, likely to come under scrutiny.

Should tighter restrictions come into force in due course, clubs reliant on these brands as sponsors could be forced to reconsider these arrangements, regardless of the deals already in place.

What It Means Going Forward

At the time of writing, Everton have no issues to worry about. CMC Markets are approved as the club's new front-of-shirt sponsor. Stake are also permitted to continue their relationship with the club as the sleeve sponsor.

But Everton must be aware that further down the line, it's very possible that, unless Stake are approved for a new licence by the UK Gambling Commission, they'll probably be prohibited from having a working relationship with any top-flight club, including Everton.

Conclusion

Premier League clubs knew several years in advance that, by the start of this season, they could no longer have gambling sponsors on the front of matchday shirts. This allowed Everton to reassign Stake to be their sleeve sponsor, while welcoming CMC Markets as their replacement as front-of-shirt sponsor. It's the dawning of a new era in the Premier League, and it will be interesting to see how clubs and gambling sponsors play it from here on in.