Brands associated with gambling dominate the list of European football jersey sponsors.

Twenty-one percent, or slightly more than 20%, of all football clubs in Europe's fifteen top divisions had sponsorship deals with gambling firms on the front of their shirts.

The gambling business has front-of-shirt partnerships with 51 of the 244 clubs surveyed, despite the continent-wide crackdown on gambling advertising. Compared to other similar sectors, this is 18 more, and compared to the 2020/21 season, it's 11 more.

"Front of shirt partnerships are often the most lucrative deals within a clubs commercial partnerships portfolio given the exposure they generate due to the prominent nature of the branding," According to ResearchAndMarkets.com.

"On the other hand, brands find these kinds of partnerships appealing because they can network with clubs that have a dedicated fan following, which helps them gain trust and credibility on a large scale."

As well as being a significant source of revenue for clubs, the coveted spot on a team's jersey provides brands with priceless visibility. An estimated $1.2 billion is generated by the front of shirt deals for teams in the five major European leagues: France, England, Spain, Germany, and Italy.

For front-of-shirt rights, the English Premier League (EPL) is by far the most lucrative of them. Approximately $150 million short of half of Europe's total and more than $200 million more than any other league on the continent, the valuable space brings in $450.54 million for EPL clubs.

From $1.44 billion in the 2020–21 season to $1.37 billion in the 2021/22 season, the market for front of shirt sponsorships shrank by 4.9%, according to UEFA’s Country Coefficient.