Sports and sponsorship have always historically got on well with each other. Whether it is Marlboro, Rolex, or Heineken in Formula One, Emirates and Rolex (again) in tennis, or Rolex (again) for golf,There are occasions when we here at ReadyBetGo want to bring you interesting facts about the gambling industry  When something catches our eye, we will publish it for your enjoyment. 
  brands have traditionally partnered well with sports, sealed with a solid financial handshake. Sports benefit from the substantial investment by a big-name sponsor, while those sponsors gain much increased exposure to millions of viewers around the world, who might ultimately shop at their stores. Usually, there are eye-watering sums of money involved in these sponsorship deals which make them irresistible to turn down.

You might have noticed one sport that missed a mention. An obvious one. That is of course, soccer. The English Premier League especially is one of the largest, if not the largest, sporting exports in the world and is broadcasted in more than 200 countries, reaching over 3 billion people across the globe. It is by far the most followed soccer league in the world, with only the NBA rivalling it for global viewership.

In sports, there is a direct correlation between money invested and the quality of sporting action represented by all the protagonists involved, from players to coaches to physios and travel agents. The Premier League has a rich recent history of high-rolling investors acquiring majority stakes in clubs such as Newcastle United, Manchester City, and the previously Roman Abramovich-funded Chelsea.

While this has become the norm in the Premier League, as opposed to leagues like the Bundesliga that prevent outside investment with their 50+1 rule, it seems Premier League clubs are finding even more funding from another source. An industry that is currently on the rise and looking to further its appeal.

Gambling companies making a safe bet with the EPL

The gambling industry is taking the world by storm, with online casinos and online sports books receiving particular recognition for their growth in the past years. So much so that they feel confident enough, and have enough collateral behind them, to approach and sponsor Premier League clubs. The English Premier League brand needs no further explaining, but there are several reasons why gambling companies particularly are a safe partnership for Premier League clubs.

Secure future

In the digital age we currently reside in, activities that command prime real estate on the internet are already thriving and can only get better as technology and software advances. Online gambling is exactly this type of activity and with a compound annual growth rate of nearly 11% up until 2027, this paints a rosy, and lucrative, future. The online gambling market in Europe itself is forecasted to reach USD$42.80 billion within the same timeline and with European online casinos gaining more legality in countries across the continent, their popularity can consequently only grow further.

The deals with companies such as W88 (Fulham), Betway (West Ham United), Dafabet (AFC Bournemouth), and Hollywoodbets (Brentford), amongst many others, are no-brainers for these Premier League teams, and despite the incoming ban on gambling companies being front-of-shirt sponsors, which comes into effect in the 2026/27 season, only nine dominos are left to fall before the whole league is sponsored by gambling companies.

Competition off the pitch

The reference to the Bundesliga 50+1 rule model was not simply a passing reference. It was made to create a comparison to a landscape without huge foreign investment and the roads teams are not forced down as a result of leaving at least 50% ownership at the door of members. There is enough competition on the pitch, but due to the additional finances pumped into individual clubs by groups such as the Public Investment Fund (PIF) at Newcastle United and the Abu Dhabi United Group at Manchester City, there is a major scramble off the pitch for the rest of the division to secure funding in any shape or form to help them remain competitive on it.

The seed that sprouted this extra dimension of competition in the league was planted by Jimmy Hill in 1997, when he sold Fulham to Egyptian Mohammed Al Fayed. The likes of Roman Abramovich, the Glazer family and Stan Kroenke have walked through the door opened by Hill and Al Fayed, elevating the necessity for funding that nowadays reaches into astronomical figures. And much like the ownership trend, gambling companies are setting a trend of their own, safe in the knowledge that Premier League teams, especially those outside the top six, need the additional backing to stay at the top. Even Manchester City have succumbed to the gambling company hold, pocketing over £4 million annually from their deal with Betway.

Playing field to get busier

The Premier League has almost gone to the point of no return as far as sponsorship by gambling companies is concerned. However, it remains to be seen if other countries will follow suit. Countries like Germany, France, Spain, Netherlands, and Italy have relaxed their rules over gambling in the past years, which could open the door to sponsorship from gambling companies.

In France, Montpellier and Le Havre FC are sponsored by Paratouche and Winamax respectively, 888 Holdings partner with RCD Mallorca in Spain, while Bwin counts Union Berlin, Borussia Dortmund, and FC St. Pauli on their portfolio. There is already a lot happening on the sponsorship playing field, but we might see more players on the pitch in the coming years.