Keith Wyness, the former head of Everton, has stated that Nottingham Forest won’t have any issues with their partnership with the contentious unlicensed bookmaker Kaiyun Sports.
The 66-year-old, who ran a football consultancy advising elite clubs after serving as CEO at Goodison Park from 2004 to 2009, stated the Chinese company will only be targeting the Asian market with their kit sponsorships on the latest episode of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast.
According to The Athletic (July 25, 2017), the government-affiliated UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has issued warnings to Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace for their affiliations with Kaiyun Sports.
The Asian sportsbook does not have a license to operate in the UK, and both clubs have been informed that if the website is made accessible in the country, they may be in violation of the law.
Since last year, Nottingham Forest has used Kaiyun as their front-of-shirt sponsor; however, that agreement is about to expire in less than a year.
The Premier League has long been divided about betting sponsors, and in time for the 2026–2027 season, they are expected to be outlawed.
Notwithstanding a government warning, Nottingham Forest has “no issue.”
“It’s interesting,” Wyness said on the Insider Track podcast of Football Insider.
“I did a thorough investigation, and the underlying assumption is that Kaiyun Sports is not recognized by the UK Gambling Commission.
The claim will be made that they are utilizing it to target the Asian market rather than the UK market.
“We had Chang when I worked at Everton, and they were aiming for the Asian market. They did not have any sales in the UK, and Forest’s arrangement is comparable.
“Forest has communicated with the Gambling Commission to make it clear that they abide by all regulations.”
“Gambling sponsors will disappear in 2026–2027. Until that ban takes effect, I believe Forest will be fine; I don’t see a problem.
