Sports betting and gambling companies have come an intrinsic part of the industry today, to the point where sponsorships are worth millions, and in truth, sports clubs and competitions couldn’t live without them due to the financial backing they bring. Some leagues have gone the other way, looking to avoid such partnerships, but the likes of the English Premier League have shown just how lucrative it can be.
That has made its way into many US sports such as the NBA and NHL, with both enjoying landmark deals with online casinos and sportsbooks in recent years. That could inspire many more across the world. Will it lead to AU online casino sites becoming even more prominent in the A League or NRL? That is certainly likely in what is a growth market in Australia. Around A$7.2billion is gambled by Australians each year, so it only makes sense that brands target them through sponsorships and partnerships. The NRL currently has a A$60million deal with its gaming partner, and it’s a similar story across other countries. For example, South African casino sites have ties with their major sporting leagues, as do much of Europe.
It’s perhaps the UK where it’s most prominent though, and where many other leagues will be looking to replicate given the money involved. Eight of the 20 teams in the Premier League have shirt sponsors that are sportsbook or casino-related, while almost every team in the division has an official betting or gambling partner. It’s a similar story in the English Championship, where many teams have in fact relied on such sponsors during a time where games have been played behind-closed-doors. The financial backing from these brands has offered financial stability, and it’s one of the reasons why many sports teams around the world wish to follow suit.
Cricket has seen a rise in gambling sponsors in more recent times, and there has been plenty of debate as to whether the game should go all-in, like soccer has, as they look to expand the game and make it a more desirable game for both spectators and the best players from around the world. Cricket won’t be the only sport though that follows in the footsteps of soccer, and you get the impression that over the next few years there are going to be significant developments in gambling’s relationship with professional sport, and it really could go one way or the other.
