Birmingham City Football Club Sponsor Falsifies MGA License
Recently, God55, an Asian betting site, announced an official partnership with Birmingham City FC. However, it has now been revealed that the site has falsely asserted that it holds a Malta Gaming License.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) has confirmed that any representation of God55 being licensed by them is “false and misleading” and stated that it will take “appropriate steps” to address the issue.
The collaboration between God55 and Birmingham City FC raised questions from the outset, especially considering the club currently competes in League One, the third tier of English football, while God55 primarily operates in the Asian betting market.
Although the company was promoted in official statements as “one of the biggest and most trusted brands in the online gaming industry,” it is absent from the official databases of the regulators it claims to be licensed by.
Multiple False License Claims
God55’s website claims licensing from the Curacao Gaming Control Board, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), and the MGA. However, no record of the company can be found in the online registries of these regulatory bodies.
In August 2023, NFL legend and one of America’s most beloved athletes, Tom Brady, became a minority stakeholder in Birmingham City FC through a partnership with Knighthead Capital Management LLC. His involvement was seen as a commercial boost for the club and included his appointment as chairman of the club’s advisory board.
God55 has also partnered with major sports figures such as boxing icon Mike Tyson, football star Roberto Carlos, and former NBA player Dennis Rodman. These high-profile endorsements suggest a strong focus on visibility and trust through celebrity marketing.
More Regulation News
UKGC Urges Clubs to Be Diligent
The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has reminded sports clubs that working with unlicensed gambling operators can breach section 330 of the Gambling Act 2005, which can have serious legal consequences.
We do not normally comment on individual operators. However, we would like to make clear that we always take action against any operator purporting to have a licence when they do not. We would advise all football clubs considering sponsorship arrangements to read our information notice. This clearly explains that clubs are expected to carry out sufficient due diligence to assure the Commission that consumers cannot transact with these sites from Great Britain by any means. As we set out at the time, we will be taking steps to verify that any sites promoted by football clubs have effective measures in place to prevent British consumers from accessing them and will act accordingly if they do not. Anyone with concerns about unlicensed gambling websites impacting GB consumers can report them via our website.
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