Everton Football Club has said controversial sponsor Stake.com will become the club’s new official sleeve partner from the start of the 2026/27 season as part of a multi-year agreement.
The agreement will see the Stake logo move from the front of Everton’s shirt to the sleeve for the 2026/27 campaign.
Stake has been Everton’s main partner for the past four seasons. However early last year the Australia-based online casino gave up its licence to operate in Great Britain as regulators reviewed its practices, including a post on X which featured its logo alongside Bonnie Blue.
In the video, the porn actor boasted of trying to have sex with “barely legal 18-year-olds” in their first year at Nottingham Trent University.
Reports suggest that Stake’s branding has also appeared on viral videos featuring violence and other graphic images.
The Guardian also reported a promotion in which the firm offered a $10 ‘free’ bet to anyone who wagered $5,000 in a week, which it says led to Everton telling the brand not to use club imagery in the promotion.
Further controversies include UK users bypassing controls to illegally gamble on the platform using cryptocurrency.
Its UK website was run under licence by an Isle of Man-based company called TGP Europe but has been shut down since March 2025.
It is therefore surprising that Stake.com will continue to be featured on Everton’s shirts at all, as well as in the club’s matchday and digital channels, plus across the Hill Dickinson Stadium and Goodison Park – now the home of the women’s team – and the Finch Farm training base.
Everton stated on its website: “The partnership has so far brought together fan giveaways, matchday experiences, digital content, international ambassador visits, UFC-led player content, F1 simulator activity and support for Her Game Too around the Merseyside derby, when Stake donated its warm-up shirt space to promote the campaign’s work tackling sexism and championing women in football.
“Stake’s wider sports and entertainment portfolio spans UFC, X Games, Street League Skateboarding, eSports and Cricket, supported by a global ambassador roster that includes UFC stars Alex Pereira, Max Holloway and newly announced Tracy Cortez, inaugural skateboarding ambassadors Chris Joslin and Nyjah Huston and former Premier League players including Sergio Aguero, Patrice Evra and Eden Hazard.”
Andrew Middleton, Everton’s president of business operations, said: “Stake has been a major supporter of Everton over the past four seasons and this agreement reflects both the strength of our relationship and the continued growth of Everton’s commercial partnership portfolio.
“It also provides continuity with a partner that understands the club, our supporters and the global reach of Everton Football Club.
“As we continue to build commercial momentum, this agreement demonstrates the value partners see in Everton, our new stadium and the direction of the club.
“We are pleased to see our relationship with Stake evolve and look forward to continuing to work together across the coming seasons.”
Stake’s chief marketing officer Akhil Sarin said: “Our partnership with Everton has been an important and successful one, and we are proud to continue our relationship with one of English football’s most historic and globally recognised clubs.
“Stake is built around sport, entertainment and culture. The partnerships we choose are deliberate, ambitious, built on innovation and a genuine connection to our global communities.
“Over the past four years, Everton has provided Stake with a powerful platform to connect with audiences around the world, and we have valued the opportunity to support the club during a landmark period in its history.
“We look forward to building on the partnership as official sleeve partner and to continuing to work with Everton to deliver engaging content, experiences and activations for fans.”
Everton added that the club and Stake would “continue to ensure all partnership activity is delivered responsibly and in full compliance with relevant regulations, industry standards and marketing requirements”.