Premier League crypto sponsor Sorare accused of unlicensed gambling in UK

Sorare, the fantasy football platform that uses Ethereum blockchain technology to let users trade digital football cards, has been accused of operating as an unlicensed gambling service by the UK’s Gambling Commission. According to the commission, Sorare violated the Gambling Act 2005 by "providing facilities for gambling without holding an operating license." The company is set to face a court hearing on October 4.

Sorare disputes the allegations, arguing that the Gambling Commission has misinterpreted its business model. In a statement to The Guardian, Sorare asserted, “The commission has misunderstood our business and wrongly determined that gambling laws apply to Sorare.” The company’s UK legal team plans to challenge the claims, maintaining that Sorare does not qualify as a gambling product under UK law.

Sorare, which sponsors prominent football teams such as Atlético de Madrid, AC Milan, and Sturm Graz, is just one of 23 Champions League clubs partnered with crypto firms. This case is significant given the rarity of such charges; the Gambling Commission has only pursued similar action once before, in a case where an individual was jailed for fixing greyhound races through illegal activities.

This legal dispute highlights the broader tension between the rapidly growing crypto space and traditional regulatory frameworks, raising questions about how blockchain-based platforms should be classified under existing laws.

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