Premier League's £10 million frozen as police investigate former fantasy partner

The Premier League’s bank account continues to be frozen at more than £10 million as the National Crime Agency and authorities in Luxembourg investigate Sorare.com, the former partner that supplied digital player cards for its fantasy football platform. An order obtained in January locked £10,024,041.33, and a Westminster Magistrates’ Court judge extended the freeze for four months, deeming it necessary to prevent dissipation of suspected criminal proceeds.

The league became aware in October 2021 that the Gambling Commission was reviewing Sorare’s activities to determine if they fell under gambling regulations, leading to a meeting and a summary of a legal opinion asserting the contests were not gambling. In January 2023, the Premier League announced a £120 million four-year partnership with Sorare, promoting the digital cards as a new fan experience. About eighteen months later, Sorare informed the league that it faced three Gambling Commission offences related to unlicensed gambling, with a trial scheduled for June 2027. The judge noted evidence that Sorare’s operations continued in Britain after the charges, and that the league kept receiving funds until June 2025.