UK GAMBLING COMMISSION TO PROBE SHIRT SPONSORSHIP DEALS

6 June 2008

Some of the industry's top firms could be impacted by a possible future ban


Disquieting sportsbetting news from the mainstream newspaper Edinburgh Evening News over the weekend is that football shirt sponsorship deals between online gambling companies and UK football clubs could be banned if it is decided that they encourage children to gamble.

The newspaper reports that the Gambling Commission has announced that it will investigate whether shirt sponsorship deals - such as those at Middlesbrough and Tottenham Hotspur - unfairly expose young fans to online casinos or gambling sites. Government ministers are apparently being put under pressure to prevent problem gambling and to stop gambling influencing children and vulnerable people.

Companies such as 888 Holdings, 32 Red, Bet24 and Mansion could be at risk of losing deals with Premiership clubs if a ban is imposed that seeks to strip the clubs of multi-million pound sponsorships, the newspaper reports.

The Edinburgh Evening News quotes marketing consultants Brand Rapport, who comment that online gambling interest has helped drive shirt sponsorship deals in Premiership football up by 25 percent to around GBP 70 million - with Spurs, Blackburn Rovers, Aston Villa and Middlesbrough the main clubs to benefit.

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