ECB publishes code of conduct on gambling sponsorship agreements in cricket

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has published a new code of conduct aimed at securing a responsible relationship between the sport and gambling companies.

Along with a number of other sporting governing bodies, the ECB has worked with the UK government to implement a specific code of conduct laying out the rules of any gambling sponsorship agreements.

This code will apply to all Professional County Cricket clubs, as well as teams involved with The Hundred.

The full ECB code of conduct can be viewed here. It will take effect from the start of the 2025 season.

The code of conduct laid out by the ECB contains four key pillars that any sponsorship with a gambling or betting company must adhere to in order to be compliant.

Commercial income from any gambling partnership must be reinvested into the sport.

This means directing funding back to fans and local communities to improve infrastructure and facilities.

Grassroots participation is vital for the sport to continue growing, so this reinvestment could be huge for cricket in England and Wales.

The second pillar of the ECB code of conduct is ensuring that any sponsorship agreement maintains sporting integrity.

This means making sure such agreements do not compromise the sporting aspect of any competition, no harm the welfare of anybody involved.

Examples include taking strong steps to prevent the risk of any match-fixing or corruption.

In order to protect young and vulnerable people, sponsorships should be designed so as not to promote gambling to those under 18 or at risk of gambling-related harm.

This includes measures such as the prohibition of gambling sponsor logos on junior kit or within family-friendly areas of cricket grounds.

Any agreements must ensure gambling promotion is delivered in a socially responsible way.

This means providing adequate education and avoiding risk-increasing factors to make sure there is sufficient awareness about the potential harm of problem gambling.

Along with the above pillars, professional teams in England and Wales must report all gambling sponsorship agreements to the ECB within 14 days.

They must also investigate and address any public concerns relating to such agreements.

There are a number of ways the code of conduct aims to protect younger audience members.

These include banning gambling-related content from junior sections of club websites and family zones in stadiums. Replica kits must also be made with the option of not having a gambling sponsor logo on them.

Clubs will be assessed regularly to ensure compliance with the ECB code of conduct. Non-compliant clubs will be outed publicly in the ECB’s annual report.

High ethical standards are expected of all clubs, with transparency and accountability at the forefront of any agreements.

Discussing the code of conduct, the ECB said: “The Code of Conduct signifies a strong commitment to balancing commercial partnerships with gambling companies while protecting the integrity of cricket. By reinforcing responsible sponsorship practices, the code seeks to safeguard both the sport and its community from potential gambling-related risks.”

While this latest development is a sign of cricket’s desire to open up more avenues into the betting industry, esports remains an area with limited takeup.

At present, one of the few examples of ‘eCricket’ available to bet on is the eCricket World Cup, run by Betby.com.

Betby now run upwards of 7,000 cricket events per month, with betting markets available for each AI Vs AI match.

Streamed live on Twitch, the eCricket market is growing, but it is still very much a fledgling area of esports.