Nottingham Forest, an English Premier League team, recently announced that Michael Dugher, the Chairman of the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), has joined their Board of Directors. Dugher previously served as the BGC’s chief executive from December 2019 to March 2024 before assuming the role of chairman. Despite his prominent position in the UK gambling industry, the club did not explicitly mention Dugher’s affiliation with the BGC in their press release.
Prior to his involvement with the BGC, Dugher had a successful career in politics, serving as a Member of Parliament and holding the position of Shadow Secretary of State for the Department for Culture, Media, and Sport. A lifelong Nottingham Forest fan, Dugher expressed his excitement and gratitude for being appointed to the club’s board, describing it as “a huge honor and a privilege.”
Nottingham Forest has strong ties to the gambling sector, with online gambling platform operator Kaiyun Sports currently serving as their front-of-shirt sponsor. Additionally, Betway is the team’s official sports betting partner. This partnership with gambling companies aligns with the broader trend of sports teams collaborating with betting operators to enhance their commercial revenue streams.
Overall, the addition of Michael Dugher to Nottingham Forest’s Board of Directors highlights the club’s continued engagement with the gambling industry and underscores the ongoing intersection between sports and betting in the modern sports landscape.