Chelsea are in “final negotiations” with online casino stake over a deal to become the club’s shirt sponsor for this season, according to a story by Matt Law in the Telegraph tonight.
It’s surprising, and the deal has come out of nowhere after talks with a “company from the crypto sector” came to nothing, and without much time before the new season, the club have moved quickly.
The whole affair is slightly controversial because the league as a whole is moving away from betting company sponsors after what’s been seen as a recent crisis as gambling has saturated the game. The current rules will permit it, but from the start of the 2026/2027 season it won’t be allowed. So this is just a quick cash grab before the roles change.
The odd fact that it’s an “initial one year deal” means that it could be gone in 12 months. Our previous deal, with telecoms company Three, was worth £40m a year, and this deal is expected to be of similar value. For this ownership, getting a one year deal in place for a sponsor that will not be allowed on our shirts in a few years, following our original deal with a dodgy sounding crypto group falling through… it all feels a bit tacky and a big budget for a club like Chelsea.
Aren’t these owners supposed to be bringing connections with the biggest giants in American business?
