By Kieran Maguire

3rd Sep, 2023 | 10:57am

Kieran Maguire reveals Nottingham Forest 'shame' at new deal - 'blinded by the cheque'

Nottingham Forest have been ‘blinded by the check’ after partnering with Kaiyun Sports as their new front-of-shirt sponsor.

That is the view of finance expert Kieran Maguire, who exclusively told Football Insider that Forest’s club statement suggests they feel awkward and ashamed by the deal.

Forest revealed on Wednesday (30 August) that they had signed a two-year front-of-shirt deal with Kaiyun Sports.

The Premier League club’s announcement describes the company as a “prominent Asian digital sports platform” despite Kaiyun operating as a gambling organisation.

The Premier League voted earlier this year to ban front-of-shirt gambling sponsorships by 2026, but Forest still chose to strike the deal on a short-term basis.

Maguire believes the club are simply trying to maximise revenues but in doing so have continued football’s ‘uneasy’ relationship with the gambling industry.

“Nottingham Forest in their press release failed to mention that Kaiyun Sports are in fact a gambling company,” Maguire told Football Insider’s Sean Fisher.

“That itself is indicative of the awkwardness and shame they perhaps feel about partnering with someone from this sector given that the consequences of using the service can of course lead to bankruptcy, depression, suicide, fraud and so on.

“At the same time, Nottingham Forest want to maximise revenues.

“It’s not an illegal product, but they have been blinded by the cheque.

“Nobody else was willing to match the amount offered by Kaiyun Sports, but it is still a slightly uneasy relationship between the football industry and gambling.“

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