Newcastle owner Mike Ashley claimed lack of funds was the sole reason the club couldn’t land a host of manager Rafa Benitez’s transfer targets during the summer transfer window.
This is despite sealing their biggest sponsorship deal in history after agreeing a three-year contract with Fun88 – an Asian online betting firm – back in May.
The Toons earned well beyond £24million over five years with their last sponsors Wonga, and the new deal is even believed to go beyond that figure.
However, it could all come crashing down should a government ban on gambling company shirt sponsors goes ahead.
A debate recently went down in Parliament, with Labour keen on a ban on football shirt sponsorship deals with gambling firms.
There are huge concerns that there is a “hidden epidemic of gambling addiction” in Britain, and that children are being highly exposed to gambling advertising via that avenue.
Sunderland, who are being sponsored by online gambling company Dafabet, have their shirts bearing the company’s logo this season, while Stoke City have Bet365 – also their stadium’s new name – written on their Jerseys.
While the current Gambling Act is now only being reviewed, a decision to ban gambling sponsors would affect a club like Newcastle.
That could just make their finances worse, and how they would go about transfers at such a time remains to unknown.
