Stock image, for illustration only. Not related to the actual events.
Sky Bet has launched its latest football campaign, ‘Game’s Gone’, starring Roy Keane and Micah Richards, two weeks before the Premier League season begins and ahead of new shirt sponsorship restrictions coming into force.
The Flutter Entertainment brand unveiled the campaign today, taking a humorous approach to football fandom by exploring how fans have complained about changes to the game throughout its history. The creative concept plays on the phrase “the game’s gone”, commonly used by supporters lamenting modern developments such as VAR.
The campaign depicts Keane, the former Manchester United and Ireland midfielder, and Richards, who played for Manchester City and Aston Villa, travelling back through time to observe football in different eras, including the Victorian period when the modern game was taking shape.
“One thing about football history is that people have always questioned changes to the game, but it’s funny looking back at some of the things we’d never want to lose now,” Keane said. “We had good fun bringing those moments to life.”
Richards noted that “football fans love a debate and that’s never going to change. Filming this was brilliant because we got to step into different eras of football and have a bit of fun with some of the biggest developments in the game’s history. Being told I had permission to ‘shush’ Roy Keane was a particular highlight.”
Marketing push as sponsorship landscape shifts
The campaign launches as betting operators navigate a changing sponsorship environment. The 2026/27 Premier League season will be the first under a ban on front-of-shirt sponsorship deals between clubs and gambling companies.
While sleeve logos, training kit branding, and LED advertising board placements remain available, some operators have shifted focus to lower-tier competitions or invested more heavily in creative marketing. Betway recently agreed a deal with Manchester United focusing on permitted placements, while Midnite, Coral, and BoyleSports have pursued Championship sponsorships.
Harry Phillips, Sky Bet marketing director, described the campaign as rooted in understanding football culture. “Game’s Gone is a phrase that has engrained itself in football culture and beyond,” he said. “Yet even though we all love to moan about the game, it’s never been more universally popular and when push comes to shove, it’s the incredible moments of football culture, both on and off the pitch that keeps us coming back.”
Phillips said Sky Bet’s role is “not to tell fans what to think, but to understand the conversation, earn the right to participate in it and celebrate the fact that, whatever the argument or discussion, football still keeps us coming back.”
Sky Bet has long been visible in English football through its partnership with the English Football League, which covers the Championship, League One, and League Two. The brand has been adding social responsibility and charity elements to that partnership in recent years.
Key questions answered
Who are the two former footballers featured in Sky Bet’s new campaign?
Roy Keane, the former Manchester United and Ireland midfielder, and Micah Richards, who played for Manchester City and Aston Villa, star in the campaign.
What is the concept behind the ‘Game’s Gone’ campaign?
The campaign takes a humorous approach by showing Keane and Richards traveling back through different eras of football history, playing on the phrase fans use when complaining about modern changes to the game.
When will the Premier League ban on front-of-shirt gambling sponsorships take effect?
The ban will come into force starting with the 2026/27 Premier League season.
What sponsorship options remain available for betting companies after the front-of-shirt ban?
Betting operators can still use sleeve logos, training kit branding, and LED advertising board placements.