The biggest football sponsors in the gambling industry

• Sporting outfits and sponsorships are like siamese twins
• They work together for a common goal
• Gambling has been a part of football for years and it continues to grow         

Sporting outfits and sponsorships go very much hand in hand. You could say that they need each other, with football clubs, for example, needing the revenue from commercial agreements and brands in return requiring exposure. It’s why agreements between football teams and gambling companies work so well, with some considerable deals in place.

It can be a case of the two parties in a sponsorship agreement coming together because it’s mutually beneficial. But, where football clubs and the gambling industry are concerned, you could suggest it’s more than that. Gambling has been a part of football for years, and it’s now at the point where some of the world’s leading brands, such as Entain, who owns several prominent online gambling platforms, where sports betting markets and the latest roulette games make up an extensive offering available to their members.

Real Madrid, AC Milan & PSG

Football gambling. Photo/The Sun

You couldn’t find a more respected trio than Real Madrid, AC Milan and PSG in world football. And right now, they’re arguably three clubs that are the most commercially viable. Because they’re teams operating in different countries – Spain, Italy and France – it makes sense that all three have struck deals with the same or similar brands, one being Fonbet. Fonbet, a Russian betting company, penned agreements with the trio to become their official sports betting partners, a commercial relationship the trio had never run with previously.

West Ham

West Ham are one of English football’s most traditional and historic football clubs, currently plying their trade in the Premier League. And, while it may seem like sponsorship deals with sports betting companies are a relatively new thing, The Hammers have been working with respected brand Betway since 2015. Between then and now, West Ham have moved stadium, and Betway naturally benefits from the more extensive exposure this brings, with the brand’s name emblazoned across the front of the team’s shirts.

Manchester City

The Premier League has charged Manchester City. Photo/ Eurosport.

Talking of English football, Manchester City have been the dominant force in the Premier League for a number of seasons, winning four titles from the last possible five. They’re naturally a huge attraction for brands and are commercially successful. Multiple revenue streams have been created to balance off the club’s spending, with City going down the sports betting partner route. Their current agreement is with 8XBet, an sports betting operator based in Asia, who regularly provides perks for Man City fans who choose to use the service.

In terms of football and sponsors from the gambling world, the agreements don’t come much bigger or as prominent as those mentioned above. The current landscape could be about to change, especially in the UK, with rules coming into force to prevent these agreements in future. But, for now, many clubs in the UK and beyond are benefitting from the relationships they have with gambling companies – be it sports betting or casino – and in turn, these brands get all the exposure they’re looking for.