The decision was reached following “extensive consultation” with the UK government regarding its review of gambling legislation, which was prevalent in the recent budget announcement from the incumbent Labour government. 

The new arrangement will apply from the start of the 2026/27 Premier League season, and while the change will be apparent, critics would say it’s nothing more than a case of moving the goalposts. 

Although the logos of various mainstream (and not so well-known) gambling brands will be removed from the front of shirts, these companies will still be represented on shirt sleeves, on the back of the shirts, on training kits, on advertising boards around the pitch, and elsewhere within the stadium. 

It appears to be a clever, calculated step, but one that comes with risk.

Premier League clubs made more than £1bn from their shirts alone last season, taking into account the value of their kit supplier deals, front-of-shirt sponsors and income from sleeve sponsors. Kit manufacturers have committed to providing nearly £492m across twenty agreements. pic.twitter.com/SQ4xVTrx21

— Łukasz Bączek (@Lu_Class_) August 22, 2025

The Premier League clubs have effectively self-policed, cognizant of pressures and developments at Westminster, with the UK government announcing a Gambling Act review white paper. 

They have bought time to work around the new arrangements in tandem with gambling partners, but there will be a significant void to fill on the front of shirts. 

The Premier League previously intimated that “a self-regulatory approach would provide a practical and flexible alternative to legislation or outright prohibition”.

In addition to the move instigated by the elite body in English soccer, a code of conduct was also agreed upon between the Premier League, Football Association (national governing body), English Football League (tiers 2-4), and Women’s Super League.

This is more of a safeguarding position, based on four general principles around gambling sponsorships. 

There is no impending gambling sponsorship ban on the front of shirts for the lower leagues in England, and that situation is further compounded as SkyBet is the title sponsor of the EFL Championship, League One, and League Two.

Reduction in value of shirt sponsorships and overall revenues

In the current 2025/26 Premier League season, 11 of 20 clubs have a gambling brand as their front-of-shirt sponsor and key partner. 

Those teams are Aston Villa, Bournemouth, Brentford, Crystal Palace, Everton, Fulham, Leicester, Nottingham Forest, Southampton, West Ham, and Wolves. 

That is a lot of revenue to replace, with the collective value of these sponsorship deals exceeding £140 million ($189 million) per season, according to Football Media CEO, Dean Akijobe. 

As reported by Hansard, the official report of all Parliamentary debates, West Ham United vice-Chairperson Karren Brady told a House of Lords debate last November that “the typical difference between gambling and non-gambling shirt sponsorships is around 40%.” 

She added, “For some Premier League clubs, this decision (to ban front-of-shirt gambling ads) will mean a reduction of around 20% of their total commercial revenues.”

| Premier League clubs’ kit sponsors by category.

1. Gambling
2. Finance
3. Airline
4. Food & Beverage
— Technology
— Tourism
— No Sponsor (Chelsea)

[@Footy_Headlines] pic.twitter.com/U21Rj51sLz

— Goals Side (@goalsside) October 8, 2025

Following the voluntary ban announced in 2024, West Ham signed a front-of-shirt agreement with BoyleSports for the current 2025/26 season, while Nottingham Forest did the same with Ballys.

The relative change also comes after a number of Premier League clubs received a warning on their relationships with gambling brands that are unlicensed in the United Kingdom. 

Bournemouth, Burnley, Fulham, Newcastle, and Wolves were reprimanded by the UK Gambling Commission on the risks of promoting unlicensed betting websites. 

Many of these deals came about through TGP Europe, a wider ‘white label’ gambling operator and agent, which subsequently left the British market after the Gambling Commission hit them with a £3.3m ($4.43m) fine for multiple breaches of anti-money laundering rules.

The gambling companies affiliated with TGP remained active, but they had to ensure their domains were geo-blocked for British users.

In the example of Nottingham Forest, their Kaiyun.com front-of-shirt sponsor (last season) was not accessible in the UK.

The crux of the issue is that Premier League clubs cannot determine who the ultimate owners, or beneficiaries, of these Asian-facing, non-UK regulated gambling brands are. 

The advice to the clubs from the Gambling Commission was stark: 

“You will want to continue to satisfy yourself that your sponsorship and associated advertising arrangements are legal and do not present a reputational risk to your sport.

“We would advise that any organisation engaging in sponsorship from brands that do not hold a Commission licence manage their exposure to risk. This includes satisfying themselves as to the source of the funds for the arrangement.”

As it is, Burnley (96.com), Crystal Palace (Net88), Fulham (SBOTOP), Sunderland (W88), and Wolves (DeBet) are all carrying such partners for the final season of the current arrangement.

Betting company ‘supports’ Premier League ban

Intriguingly, a BoyleSports spokesperson told Insider Sport that “we support Premier League clubs’ self-imposed ban on front-of-shirt gambling sponsorship from the 2026/27 season.”

In a nod to the changing dynamic between clubs and gambling partners, they added:

“We’re already exploring how to evolve our presence within the stadium, across digital platforms and through direct fan engagement.

“Ultimately, visibility is important, but relevance and authenticity will carry more weight in the next era of football sponsorship, and we’re committed to staying ahead of that shift.”

As for what businesses will fill the void left on the front of shirts, you can expect some movement from the big players in telecommunications, airlines, fintech, and energy. 

Another development to watch out for is the upturn in the exposure of cryptocurrency in the Premier League. 

It will be a step into the unknown for some, while most others will embrace the open arms…and piles of cash.

Last season, 14 Premier League clubs had some form of crypto partner, which is an untapped revenue source and one that will have the authorities feeling anxious. 

Just as gambling exposure is ‘reduced’, crypto will raise its head further. 

Other examples in European soccer

In Spain, La Liga is one of the major European soccer leagues, but gambling sponsorship has been completely outlawed. 

A Royal Decree in 2021 eradicated gambling sponsors from shirts and stadiums overall, vastly reducing brand visibility, but in the background, clubs, including Real Madrid, still have lucrative agreements with gambling firms that do not operate in Spain. 

Another interesting observation is the route taken by soccer clubs in Belgium, who opted to work around the new rules and removal of gambling brands on the front of shirts.

Top clubs appeared to evade new arrangements by promoting sub-brands of gambling companies on their shirts. 

Essentially, these were sports news app gateways to the main gambling website portals operated by major sponsors, but the authorities later launched further investigations and tightened their approach. 

Next season brings changes to the Premier League and its clubs’ relationships with gambling brands. 

To what extent the change is meaningful and how long the front of shirt ban lasts, remains to be seen, but a new era is on the way.

Image credit: PremierLeague/X

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FBI Director Kash Patel announced the charges during an October 23 news conference in New York, calling the arrests “historic” and tying the operation to La Cosa Nostra. United States Attorney Joseph Nocella said the conduct amounted to “one of the most brazen sports corruption schemes since online sports betting became widely legalized,” alleging that confidential NBA information was misused and that victims lost millions in fixed poker games.

NBA stars’ alleged role in rigged poker games and high-tech cheating

According to the detention letter, as reviewed by ReadWrite, the gambling scheme depended on a range of hidden technologies. Besides altered shuffling machines and X-ray poker tables, prosecutors said the conspirators also used a poker chip tray analyzer that secretly read cards with hidden cameras.

Photos showing a poker table setup and a camera feed capturing card information. Credit: United States v. Ernest Aiello, et al. Criminal Docket

The modified machines were designed to read cards in real time and send that information to operators who were not on site. The letter says the shufflers were altered to “read the cards in the deck, predict which player at the table had the best poker hand, and relay that information via interstate wires to an off site operator.” The operator would then message a player at the table known as the Quarterback, who would signal the rest of the cheating team.

‘Signal book’ for real-time cheating

One poker game in Miami in September 2024 even came with a clear list of physical signals that was shared beforehand.

Message listing poker signal codes, as displayed in a chat from September 2024. Credit: United States v. Ernest Aiello, et al. Criminal Docket

As the document explains: “For example, the above text message indicated that if defendant RENZULLI (Mikey) had the best hand, the Quarterback (in this case, MAZZOLA) would touch the 1,000 poker chip; if defendant ALVAREZ (G) had the best hand, the Quarterback would tap his chin; if defendant MAZZOLA (Mazz) had the best hand, he would tap his wrist or arm. If the victim had the best hand, the Quarterback would touch his black chips, in which case the conspirators would fold to avoid losing money to the victim.”

Face Cards

Heat guard Terry Rozier, Portland Trail Blazers Chauncey Billups, and Damon Jones were all arrested as part of the FBI probe. Credit: Keith Allison from Hanover, MD, USA / CC BY-SA 2.0

The government says former NBA players were brought in to help lure wealthy victims into these games. According to the letter, “BILLUPS and JONES, in particular, served as Face Cards, meaning they were utilized to attract victims to the games because of their status as former professional athletes.”

Alleged wire trail to Chauncey Billups

Prosecutors also laid out a money trail they say followed a 2020 game that involved Billups. They wrote: “Following another rigged game in late October 2020 in which BILLUPS participated, bank records show that STROUD (through his company Lil Robbie Productions LLC) wired WEI 50,000 dollars, who, in turn, wired the 50,000 dollars directly to BILLUPS.”

Statement from Chauncey Billups’ attorney to ESPN, making clear that Billups, like Terry Rozier, will fight the FBI’s charges: pic.twitter.com/YCugGaXiiZ

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 24, 2025

In a statement sent to ESPN, Chris Heywood, an attorney for Billups, stressed that Billups would never “cheat and defraud others.”

“Anyone who knows Chauncey Billups knows he is a man of integrity; men of integrity do not cheat and defraud others.

“To believe that Chauncey Billups did what the federal government is accusing him of is to believe that he would risk his hall-of-fame legacy, his reputation, and his freedom. He would not jeopardize those things for anything, let alone a card game.

“Furthermore, Chauncey Billups has never and would never gamble on basketball games, provide insider information, or sacrifice the trust of his team and the League, as it would tarnish the game he has devoted his entire life to.

“Chauncey Billups has never backed down. He does not plan to do so now. He will fight these allegations with the same tenacity that marked his 28-year career. We look forward to our day in court.”

Claims about Damon Jones’ role

Damon Jones, another former NBA player, is portrayed as both a recruiter and an active cheater. Prosecutors say that before a rigged game in East Hampton, “defendant JONES asked STROUD for payment even before the game started… STROUD sent 2,500 dollars to JONES via Zelle the same day.”

Message requesting an advance payment, shown in a September 2023 chat. Credit: United States v. Ernest Aiello, et al. Criminal Docket

A few days later, during the same stretch of games, Jones was getting instructions while he played. The document says: “Messages show that defendant GOODSON (Tony in Macon) coached JONES in real time on how to cheat by instructing him to pay attention to defendants AWAWDEH (whom he likened to NBA All Star Stephen Steph Curry) and GARZON (whom he compared to NBA All Star Lebron Bron James), and, in case of doubt, to fold his hand.” Jones responded: “yall know I know what Im doing!!”

The detention letter also links the operation to the Bonanno, Gambino, and Genovese crime families. Prosecutors wrote that several of the locations used for poker games were already known to be connected to organized crime groups and that those groups “took a percentage of the criminal proceeds” from the rigged games.

According to Nocella, the operation began in 2019 and spanned locations from the Hamptons to Las Vegas, Miami, and Manhattan. He said the NBA is cooperating with the investigation.

ReadWrite has contacted the legal representatives for Chauncey Billups and Damon Jones for comment.

Featured image: Canva

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Crypto signals — those well-timed nudges that tell you when to buy, sell, or sit tight — are becoming essential in today’s fast-moving digital markets.

Best Wallet, a non-custodial, anonymous Bitcoin wallet, is an ideal tool for users who care about privacy and control. But it’s more than just a storage solution — it’s now part of the broader signal ecosystem.

Best Wallet, a non-custodial, anonymous Bitcoin wallet, is an ideal tool for users who care about privacy and control.

With its Upcoming Tokens section, Best Wallet acts like a built-in crypto signal provider, surfacing early-stage altcoin and meme-coin launches directly in-app. These presale listings and alerts function as valuable alpha for traders looking to act on emerging opportunities before they hit the mainstream.

But as with anything in crypto, there’s plenty of noise. Some signals are backed by serious research while others lack the same rigorous verification. So how do you tell what’s worth following?

Crypto signals are trade ideas or alerts that help traders determine when to enter or exit positions.

They can be generated through technical analysis, AI algorithms, or insights from experienced analysts. Signals are commonly delivered via Telegram, Discord, email newsletters, or dedicated platforms — and increasingly, within all-in-one wallets like Best Wallet.

Are You Crypto Curious?

Best Wallet

Download a trusted exchange app — Start by choosing a licensed crypto exchange. We recommend starting with the Best Wallet app, available for both iOS and Android.

Create and verify your account — Sign up using your email, Google, or Apple ID. To complete registration, you’ll need to verify your identity with a government-issued ID and enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for added security.

Fund your account — Deposit money into your account by linking a bank account or credit card or even using gift cards. Choose an option that best fits your lifestyle.

Buy your first cryptocurrency — Use the app’s marketplace or swap tool to purchase crypto by entering the ticker symbol — like BTC for Bitcoin or ETH for Ethereum — and follow the prompts to complete the transaction.

Choose how to store your crypto — Decide whether you’ll keep your crypto in the exchange, move it to a digital wallet (hot wallet), or store it offline (cold wallet) for extra protection.

A good signal is like a good tip — its value depends on the credibility of the source.

“The best place to find and experiment with crypto signals is through online communities like Cryptotwits, where investors and traders of all experience levels share their approaches to the market,” said Tom Bruni, editor-in-chief at Stocktwits.

Amberdata is a blockchain and crypto asset analytics platform.

But not all insight comes from public chatter.

Brian Huang, co-founder of Glider, points to advanced tools like Arkham, Parsec, Nansen and Kaito that help track whale activity before it affects the broader market.

Transparency matters too.

Poliakov noted that while many signals are shared on social platforms like Discord and Telegram, the more credible ones come from providers who offer transparent performance data and clearly outline their methodology. He advised users to independently verify past performance and remain cautious — as many services lack regulatory oversight.

Logo of Glider, a crypto automation platform that executes trades based on user-defined signals.

For Ovie Faruq, a former Barclays trader turned Web3 builder, one resource stands above the rest. “Hands down, Real Vision provides the strongest technical and fundamental analysis of both crypto and macro markets.”

Others say the best information comes from triangulating data across crypto ecosystems.

“In derivatives we can figure out dealer positioning for options, hedging activity in the underlying futures, OI build-up and leverage liquidation inflection points,” said Greg Magadini, director of derivatives at Amberdata.

Signals are inputs — not blueprints. And in crypto, context is everything.

“Investors should utilize crypto signals as part of their comprehensive investment or trading plan. A signal on its own may mean different things to different investors. Context matters, and investors need to tailor any signal or data point to their market approach,” Bruni said.

Logo of CryptoTwits, a community-driven platform where traders share real-time crypto market insights and signal strategies. Crypto Twits

One of the most widely watched indicators is the movement of funds to exchanges.

“One of the most common signals is movement of assets to centralized exchanges like Coinbase or Binance,” said Huang.

“Typically, when assets are moved to a centralized exchange it means they are getting ready to be sold. If large amounts of an asset are moved to an exchange, it’s generally a signal to sell that token.”

But even solid signals aren’t foolproof.

Poliakov emphasized that crypto signals should be used as tools within a broader strategy, not relied on blindly.

He advised evaluating signals based on individual risk appetite, trading style and overall portfolio exposure.

Different strategies call for different data. Magadini turns to derivatives activity for clues.

“In derivatives we can figure out dealer positioning for options, hedging activity in the underlying futures, OI build-up and leverage liquidation inflection points,” Magadini said.

Arkham is an intelligence platform that deanonymizes blockchain activity to help users identify the people and entities behind crypto wallets and transactions.

From a research standpoint, Marshall encourages using systems that can identify shifts in market conditions.

“Our research shows implementing regime detection systems that identify market state changes, then layering on specific signals like DeFi lending behavior as sentiment indicators or order book pressure analysis for execution timing,” he said.

And while some traders look to signals as answers, others don’t put them on a pedestal.

Bitcoin is a decentralized digital currency that enables peer-to-peer transactions without the need for a central authority or intermediary. Galeno – stock.adobe.com

“Don’t get married to them, there is no black or white or right or wrong answer,” Faruq said.

Crypto signals can be effective — but only when used wisely. Traders must understand how the signals are generated, interpret them within the broader market context and avoid relying on them blindly.

Signals that are consistently profitable are rare, and no signal system is immune to volatility or market manipulation.

They can be — if you understand what they are and how to use them.

“Trading could even happen in the middle of the night, leading to profits you may have missed while asleep,” Huang noted, referring to tools like Glider that automate trades.

Poliakov, however, isn’t entirely convinced.

He argued that most signals tend to underperform when compared to a disciplined investment strategy. Without a proven track record or solid verification, he cautioned, many signals serve more as marketing tools than reliable indicators.

Bruni agrees that signals are only as good as the plan behind them. “You need a plan. Otherwise, you’re just chasing shiny objects.”

Faruq is even more blunt. “If there were a binary signal that could tell you to buy or sell, couldn’t you just use AI to print money forever?” he said.

Binance is one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, offering a wide range of digital asset trading pairs, advanced tools, and liquidity for both retail and institutional traders. REUTERS

“Signals are mostly subjective and only explain things AFTER the fact.”

Still, for those who know where to look, there are real opportunities.

Magadini noted that crypto markets still contain significant inefficiencies — ranging from futures basis opportunities and volatility asymmetries to DeFi and TradFi arbitrage — that informed traders can exploit.

Binance remains one of the largest and most liquid crypto exchanges in the world, making it a top platform for signal use.

Many signal providers tailor their strategies to Binance’s order books, token listings, and trading pairs.

Tools like CoinPanel, CryptoQuant and Binance-specific bots are often integrated into Telegram or Discord groups — offering users targeted signals for short-term trades, arbitrage and trend reversals.

Still, users should verify the track record of any Binance-focused signal provider and ensure they align with their trading goals.

Timing is everything for day traders. A few minutes can make or break a trade.

“One signal people typically watch for is token unlocks,” Huang said.

“A token unlock is when more supply of that token comes to market because investors have vesting schedules. More supply hitting the market typically dilutes the value of all of the other tokens.

Many times VCs will immediately sell their token unlock, so they can get back their liquidity.”

Colkitt kept it simple, telling The Post: “Day trading is a speed game—your signals need to be fast, composable, and rooted in real-time market movement.”

Real Vision is a financial media and research platform that provides deep-dive analysis on crypto, macroeconomics, and investing, featuring expert interviews and market insights.

Faruq, however, saw it differently.

“Pointless,” he said. “You might as well go to the casino. You’re trading against institutions with 100 times more data than you.”

Poliakov offers an alternative for those who want access to capital without selling.

APX Lending allows clients to take out secured loans while keeping their crypto positions intact — letting them reinvest or deploy capital without triggering taxable events or forfeiting long-term upside.

Still, if you’re looking for signals that help you move early on hot new tokens, Best Wallet’s presale alerts may offer a head start, especially for users who want access to launches without depending on Discord or influencers.

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