Growing Popularity of Sports Teams Casino Sponsorships

sports teams casino sponsorships image
Sponsorships. Image Credit: Shutterstock

With US states now free to legalise sports betting, many regions have been debating whether to allow casino sponsorships of sports teams.

Following the US Supreme Court ruling that delegated the legalisation of sports betting to the state level, many states have been making use of the new legal framework.  However, a concurrent debate has arisen regarding whether casinos and sports teams should band together in advertising and sponsorship deals.

Gaming Companies and Sport

Gaming companies, while still barred from many forms of advertising in the US, manage to attract clients through online advertising, billboards, newspapers, or tourist magazine publications, where they are allowed to advertise in. Gambling companies are competing for every gaming dollar, which means that they aim to make every advertising dollar count.

One of the ways gambling companies use their advertising dollars is through sponsorship of professional sports. In Australia and the UK, soccer teams are the most advertised. Researchers in the US are analysing gaming sponsorships of sports teams to ascertain whether this is the direction they want to go in. In Europe, gaming houses also sponsor darts, snooker, rugby, cricket, and tournaments in their respective sports.

Why do Casinos Sponsor Sports?

Gambling companies figured out a long time ago that there is a considerable connection between gambling and soccer. Sports bettors are often more likely to watch those games that they bet on. There is also research that shows sports bettors enjoy wagering on other sports.

Therefore, casinos have a clear opportunity to sponsor teams across multiple sports to attract betting on games other than soccer. Casinos that advertise in several sports venues have noted a rise in betting across sports, as well as more visits to their venues. There are numerous examples of European soccer betting houses investing in soccer teams in both Europe and Australia.

Here are two examples of casino and sports team deals:

QPR and Royal Panda

Royal Panda Casino, one of the fastest-growing online casinos in the UK, has signed a sponsorship deal with the Queen’s Park Rangers (QPR) soccer club. The QPR, based in London, is one of the oldest second-tier soccer teams in the country, with fan base numbers in the hundreds of thousands. The team is included in both the Premier League and the Championship League, which gives it double exposure.

Royal Panda, an up-and-comer casino, has been winning gamers because of its top-notch music and graphic effects that have attracted younger players. While the agreement was initially seen as promising, and Royal Panda branded the team with logos and merchandise, the expected revenue from club fans has not fully materialised because the team had had a few bad seasons.

Juventus and Betfair

Betfair, one of the most popular sportsbooks in the UK, has teamed up with Juventus, a premier soccer team in Europe. Betfair has a multi-year arrangement with Juventus to become its official gaming partner. This means that Betfair will get the opportunity to brand team kits at Juventus’ stadium in Italy.

Betfair also bought the rights to have individual team starters market the betting company across various media, such as television and radio.  Betfair is also permitted to use the Juventus logo on its advertising merchandise, including jerseys, T-shirts, and other promo materials.

Juventus supporters also receive promotional content when they visit Betfair’s online casinos. These include prize giveaways, discounts, and video content.  All these gaming promotions with Juventus are important because the team is becoming increasingly visible.

When Juventus played the American All-Stars in Atlanta, the team’s logo was everywhere, which subsequently raised its profile. The All-Star Game was viewed by millions of fans globally, meaning that the gaming partnership with Juventus has the potential to be highly profitable.

Bojan Lipovic - Digital Project Manager

Bojan Lipovic - Digital Project Manager

Besides polishing his SEO skills, Bojan has a penchant for creative writing. With over half a decade of experience in the online gambling industry under his belt, his written take on the latest news from the Canadian and global gambling industries is an indispensable source of information for the CASINOenquirer team. Bojan’s primary goal is to ensure that players get a superior experience through the top-notch content that he shares.

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