Everton Eye CMC Markets for Shirt Deal as Gambling Ban Looms

In a move that signals the end of the Stake.com era, Everton are reportedly in advanced negotiations with financial services giant CMC Markets for them to become the club’s new front-of-shirt sponsor.

The shift comes as the Premier League clubs prepare for the 2026-27 ban on gambling logos on matchday shirts. While the "Big Six" have long leaned on technology and airline sectors, Everton’s pivot away from gambling and toward the financial trading industry represents a strategic shift to further enhance the commercial revenue stream for the club under TFG's guidance.

Founded by Lord Peter Cruddas, CMC Markets is a FTSE 250-listed firm specialising in online trading, including shares, foreign exchange, and spread betting. While "spread betting" carries its own risks, it falls under the category of financial services rather than traditional "gambling" in the eyes of the Premier League’s incoming regulations.

CMC is a heavyweight in the London Stock Exchange, offering a level of corporate prestige and financial stability that the club has lacked with recent betting-firm partnerships. It also has offices around the world, including in Germany, Singapore and Australia and is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

This builds nicely on the distinctly upmarket legal sponsorship of Everton's new stadium by the international Hill Dickinson law firm, based in Liverpool, with overseas offices in Singapore, Greece, Monaco and Hong Kong. These companies represent "Blue Chip" partners that appeal to premium seat holders and international investors.

By moving from an online casino brand to a financial trading platform, Everton are looking to secure a high-value contract that circumvents the blanket ban on "betting" companies while tapping into a similar demographic of risk-tolerant investors. And to this extent, they may have gained a march on other Premier League clubs also forced to look for new sponsors in an increasingly lean market sector.

Everton have faced consistent criticism from sections of the fanbase over the multi-year deal with Stake.com, given the city’s complex relationship with gambling addiction. The transition to a financial services firm will likely be viewed as a "cleaner" alternative, though purists may still argue that the volatility of CFD trading (Contracts for Difference) isn't far removed from the industry sponsorship that is being phased out.

The deal is rumoured to be worth in the region of £15M to £20M per season, placing it toward the top end of the "best of the rest" sponsorships outside the Champions League regulars. Fans can expect an official announcement before the end of the current campaign to ensure the 2026 kit launch goes off without a hitch.

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Reader Comments (29)

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Jonathan Oppenheimer 2 Posted 30/03/2026 at 19:37:00

Edited to reflect that it appears to be a formatting error on TW, or maybe just my phone, such that it looks different than the actual logo.

Brent Stephens 3 Posted 30/03/2026 at 19:42:20

Gamble with betting companies. Gamble on the stock market. Gambling.

Ajay Gopal 4 Posted 30/03/2026 at 19:57:49

It sounds suspiciously like a betting firm disguised as a financial services company. Why can't Everton get more global brands like 'Claude', 'ChatGPT', Amazon, Gemini, Toyota, BYD, etc ? Nobody would know what CMC Markets is, and I doubt that anybody would care to look it up.

Paul Hewitt 5 Posted 30/03/2026 at 20:05:29

Were not going to moan about this now are we?. Maybe fans should tell the club what sponsors there allowed to have.

Micky Norman 6 Posted 30/03/2026 at 20:55:22

Did anyone know who Hafnia were? What about Hill Dickinson? Isn’t advertising all about getting a little known brand to become a well known brand? My dad was a gambling addict but he never gambled on the stock market. Leave that to Trump’s cronies.

If they are willing to give us the money to pay for a new right back and they are a brand which does no harm we should be OK with it.

Mike Gaynes 7 Posted 30/03/2026 at 21:06:44

"Why can't Everton get more global brands..."

You mean like Budweiser, Pepsi, Heinz, Red Bull and Aramark?

Global brands with whom Everton have signed partnership deals since TFG took over?

Geez, man. Pay attention.

Si Cooper 9 Posted 30/03/2026 at 22:33:51

“Nobody would know what CMC Markets is, and I doubt that anybody would care to look it up.”

What is the point of that statement? We are their vehicle for advertising them, not the other way around. That is why they pay us for the privilege.

As for the ‘gambling’ link, I am of the opinion that there are degrees of potential harm with many things in life and you can’t simply lump everything together. Easily accessed addictive, thrill-associated, betting can ruin desperate people. People who are spread betting through CMC are surely much more likely to be relatively wealthy and only risking what they can easily spare.

Paul Griffiths 11 Posted 31/03/2026 at 01:06:26

Kevin 8: 'You can tell that just when you want to buy a match ticket. they'll be asking for fingerprints soon'.

Phew, luckily that will not affect you Kevin.

Paul (10): please put that in words that we can all understand. It looks interesting.

Mike Gaynes 14 Posted 31/03/2026 at 02:00:10

We have a winnah!

Steve Brown 15 Posted 31/03/2026 at 02:59:10

Aznou chance of being picked by Moyes.

Paul Griffiths 16 Posted 31/03/2026 at 05:53:01

I've never won anything before. I'm in bits. I don't know what to say.

Paul Hewitt 17 Posted 31/03/2026 at 07:08:38

" I don't know what to say". That's a first :)

Paul Griffiths 18 Posted 31/03/2026 at 07:28:09

Damn you Hewey. You're dead lad. Right, that's it. I'm supporting the mighty world champs the Warriors and we will come out to play on April 3.

Mark Murphy 19 Posted 31/03/2026 at 08:16:30

Shit! I’d forgotten about that.

I was looking forward to a nice, stress free can’t lose weekend!

COYS!

Mark Murphy 20 Posted 31/03/2026 at 08:43:43

Hmmm, Peter Cruddas is/was a massive Tory and was involved in the cash for access scandal. He arranged private dinners with Cameron and Osborne for 250,000 “donations” to the party.

He was later rewarded by Boris with a peerage.

Paul Hewitt 22 Posted 31/03/2026 at 09:47:32

Saints will batter them on Friday PG.

Edward Rogers 23 Posted 31/03/2026 at 11:00:53

I've actually had some experience of CMC recently, I found them to be an easy, reliable & no-nonsense company to deal with.

Michael Kenrick 24 Posted 31/03/2026 at 13:01:32

It's a strange one, Jonathann, their logo. Seems the space between CM and C is deliberate.

Oh, maybe not, there does seem to be a better one... swapped in now.

Mark Murphy 25 Posted 31/03/2026 at 17:48:35

I don’t mean to be pedantic Paul G but as you’re a stickler for the facts I’m sure you’ll understand me pointing out that Wigan are not World Champs.

Hull KR are.

Mark Murphy 27 Posted 31/03/2026 at 18:32:37

That’s Wire, PG.

Darryl Ritchie 28 Posted 31/03/2026 at 18:52:17

The logo looks like the front end of a jeep , heading right at you.

Ged Simpson 29 Posted 31/03/2026 at 20:05:52

Shit man. Season tickets in family 60 odd years ago, that dash to keep up with Dad was always accompanied by discussion about the game. Players, our club, the atmosphere, that noisy, foul and very fat old man next to us. (prob only 40 odd!)

Now? Modern "me" would be telling Dad to slow down as me and another 8 year old needed to discuss sponsorship deals, spending limits and owners private lives on our illegal phones.

Progress.