What do you get if you combine two of the largest earning entertainment industries? Well, to start with might start seeing Danny Rose running onto the field with a gambling shirt.
As controversial as the topic is, it hasn’t stopped major online Casino Groups from sponsoring elite football teams in the UK. Caesars Entertainment has signed a sterling deal as an official sponsor of the NFL in the US, and it set the stage for many Pro-sports teams to consider gambling sponsorships across the UK.
Samuel Richardson is a seasoned football fan and spends his time writing reviews and articles about how to play casino online. He shares his thoughts on the merging of these two giant industries and how it affects both.
Why Do Casinos Want Their Names on Football Shirts?
It makes perfect sense. Which major corporation wouldn’t want its company’s name on a Premier League match? An estimated 4.7 billion people watch the Premier League live tournaments, and that’s not including the re-broadcasts, highlights and social media coverage during and after each game. The marketing potential for creating a recognisable brand is enormous.
Companies that sponsor football teams must have millions at its disposal and be able to spend Mega Moolah as these football sponsorships don’t come cheap. The online gambling industry currently generates annual revenue of $565.4 billion worldwide. It’s growing at an average of 5.9% annually, and sports betting is its fastest-growing segment with a yearly increase of 7% of the total contribution.
Which Clubs Do Casino Companies Sponsor?
According to Football Ground Map, a staggering 59% of all English Football Clubs already had casino sponsorships in 2019. If you’re expecting to find Paddy Power, SkyBet or William Hill on the gent’s shirts, you’ll be surprised to hear that it’s mostly international companies you’ll see.
Online gambling markets are enormous in the UK, and it could be an excellent way to get a foothold by using excessive TV and media coverage to its advantage. Whatever the reason, the fact remains that it’s an extremely effective marketing strategy if they want a piece of the British pie.
Premier League sponsors since 2017 include the following elite football deals:
- Sport Pesa, an African gambling company, signed a £10 million per year Premier League shirt deal in 2017 for a five-year duration. The sponsorship deal went to Cazoo at the end of Sport Pesa’s contract.
- The Asian gambling firm Fun888 signed a three-year deal worth £10 million per year with Newcastle United in 2017.
- The very popular Maltese online sportsbook, Betway, managed to close a Premier League deal with West Ham United in 2015. The value started as a £6 million per year contract but with the renewal 18 months later, and the sponsorship increased to £10million per year. This new deal coincided with West Ham’s move to the London Stadium.
- When Fulham returned to the Premier League in 2018, it was the perfect opportunity for Dafabet to grab a £3 million per year sponsorship deal with the returning team. It was signed for two years and included a Premier League Shirt sponsorship deal for both the gents and ladies teams.
The world-famous Premier League “Big Six Clubs” aren’t supporting any gambling companies as main sponsors yet. Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United have remained untouched by the gambling industry thus far.
What Lies Ahead for the Gambling Sponsorships?
It’s become a hot topic of conversation as many people complain that children shouldn’t be exposed to the gambling industry through their sports stars. The current code of conduct that’s operational in the UK might have to be adapted, or change might soon come to these profitable sponsorships.
A few of the larger gambling sponsors have met the public halfway by removing all display advertising. One has to wonder where it’ll end if the sponsor isn’t allowed to advertise while its target market is watching their screens.
Conclusion
It’s exciting to follow the development of the partnerships within these giant corporations, and we’ll be watching closely. We all want to be able to watch our favourite team play and if we can place a few bets against our friend’s team while at it, even better.
