BWIN CLINCHES SPONSORSHIP DEAL WITH TOP SPANISH FOOTBALL CLUB

15 June 2007

Three seasons of association with Real Madrid

Vienna listed online betting group Bwin Interactive started the week with the positive news that starting on 1 July 2007 it will become the official main sponsor of Real Madrid, the top Spanish football club. The agreement has initially been concluded for a period of three seasons.

In addition to displaying the Bwin logo on the shirts of the Real Madrid team at national and international matches, the cooperation agreement extends to prominent branding of the stadiums and Real Madrid's training ground.

A spokesperson for Bwin said that the partnership should be seen against a background where several EU member states have yet to accept the freedom of establishment and services in the area of online gaming. This is despite the fact that both the European Commission and the European Court of Justice are of the opinion that the offering of online gaming is subject to the free movement of services and the freedom of establishment laid down in the Treaty on European Union.

"In the future, Bwin will therefore be investing its available sponsoring resources in markets that have adopted an enlightened attitude to the subject of gaming regulation," the spokesperson said.

The Bwin group has over 11 million registered customers (including 7 million "play money" customers) in over 20 core target markets. Operating under international and regional licences in countries like Gibraltar, Kahnawake (Canada), Belize and Germany, Italy, Mexico, Argentina, Austria and the United Kingdom, the group is an important destination for sports betting, games and entertainment via digital distribution channels. The Group offers sports betting, poker, casino games, soft and skill games, as well as audio and video streams on top sporting events such as the German Bundesliga.

Leadership, dynamism and technological innovation are values that Real Madrid and Bwin share, a joint press release on the sponsorship deal said. "The agreement presented today at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium by Manfred Bodner, Co-CEO of bwin, and Ramon Calderon, President of Real Madrid CF, represents a milestone in the international ties between the two institutions," the announcement continues.

"The two brands share a commitment to maintain and foster sports as well as values such as leadership, dynamism and technological innovation. These shared values and business strategies will allow Real Madrid and bwin to connect emotionally with millions of fans throughout the world."

Real Madrid President, Ramon Calderon said: "With this alliance we are taking one more step towards our goal of partnering leading international companies. bwin is a worldwide reference thanks to its experience and involvement in sports sponsorship. Among other characteristics, it is a creative, dynamic, young company seeking greater proximity to all the fans in the world of sport".

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