All eight The Hundred franchises secure non-gambling sponsors

All eight The Hundred franchises have secured primary sponsors from non-gambling sectors ahead of the 2026 edition, marking a significant shift after earlier criticism over the ECB’s decision to temporarily allow betting companies to sponsor teams for one season.

Following the sale of stakes in several franchises to new investors, including IPL team owners and other private entities, the franchises were given the freedom to negotiate their own commercial partnerships. Despite concerns over the sponsorship market, particularly after the Premier League’s ban on front-of-shirt betting sponsors from the 2026-27 season, each franchise has successfully signed a primary sponsor from outside the gambling industry.

“From next year, it’ll be banned. You have to acknowledge that gambling and the betting industry is a massive part of sports sponsorship… [But] there’s be no visible betting sponsorships from next year, which is a powerful stand and stronger than any other cricket league,” said Vikram Banerjee, the Hundred’s managing director as quoted by Cricinfo.

“We – myself and the ECB – are very aware of the family audience and what we’re trying to do as a brand. Our position was to see if we can get it banned for this year. We had a good discussion and the [Hundred] board agreed, in my parts, that it’s an opportunity for us to take a stand that is stronger than any other sport in the world,” he added.

Cricket Australia has long prohibited betting companies from sponsoring Big Bash League (BBL) teams, maintaining the league’s family-friendly image. Similarly, the Indian Premier League (IPL) operates in a market where gambling is largely prohibited.

Ahead of The Hundred 2026, only three of the eight franchises had secured front-of-shirt sponsors by the time the tournament’s kits were unveiled on June 1. However, the remaining five teams have since finalised sponsorship agreements with companies from a range of non-gambling sectors

“We felt as a board that this year – with all the operational change that’s going on, all the transition that’s happening, plus, frankly, quite a challenging market with the Premier League going through changes and all the rest of it – [that] just a one-year transition period was helpful for some of the teams to see them through this year,” Banerjee said.

“It has been a collaborative effort from teams and partners and ourselves to see if we can get other options through,” Banerjee said. “It has ended up working well… We’ve found a decent, sensible and pragmatic approach for this year,” he added.

 

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