Juventus, Arsenal FC Are Latest European Soccer Clubs to Ink Sports Betting Deals

  • Parimatch will advertise within Juventus' Allianz Stadium and create original content
  • Sportsbet.io will cater digital content aimed at fans of Arsenal men and women's teams
  • Several other soccer sports betting agreements have been sealed in recent months
  • English Premier League gambling sponsorship is currently under review by UK ministers
Cristiano Ronaldo of Juventus celebrates a goal
Juventus and Arsenal are among the European soccer teams to sign new betting partnerships this season after partnering with Parimatch and Sportsbet.io respectively. [Image: Shutterstock]

Two new partnerships

Juventus and Arsenal FC have joined the long list of European soccer clubs to sign new sports betting deals as the 2020-2021 seasons get underway in leagues across the region.

Italian soccer team Juventus has sealed a partnership with technology and betting company Parimatch. Through the partnership, Parimatch will benefit from advertising within the Serie A champion’s Allianz Stadium. Juventus will also create original content with the Ukrainian sports betting company. An October virtual press conference will reveal more details about the deal.  

ambitions to be the ultimate champions in our respective games”

Commenting on the partnership, Parimatch CEO Sergey Portnov said: “Both Parimatch and Juventus have ambitions to be the ultimate champions in our respective games, providing great entertainment to millions of fans the world over.”

Meanwhile, English Premier League side Arsenal FC has inked a new agreement with Estonian cryptocurrency-based sports betting platform Sportsbet.io. The soccer club announced the partnership on its Twitter page:

The partnership will see Sportsbet.io create digital content for Arsenal’s fan base, including content aimed at fans of the Arsenal women’s team.

Other new soccer gambling sponsorships

The past few months have seen a flurry of sports betting sponsorships across Europe as teams prepare for their upcoming seasons.

In the English Premier league, newly promoted team Leeds United signed a front-of-shirt branding deal with Isle of Man-based sports betting firm SBOTOP in the largest commercial deal in the club’s history. Fulham signed a similar deal with BetVictor, while Parimatch sealed another soccer agreement with Leicester City, becoming the official training kit partner of the club.

M88 will be permitted to promote exclusive La Liga content across Asia

Elsewhere in Europe, online betting platform M88 signed a multi-year commercial agreement with Spain’s top-flight soccer league La Liga. For the next four seasons, M88 will be permitted to promote exclusive La Liga content across Asia. In Italy, AC Milan and Yabo Sports also inked a new long-term partnership, making the casino and sportsbook operator the official regional partner of the Serie A team in Asia.

Controversial UK betting deals

The English Premier League has received criticism from a number of sources for its reliance on gambling sponsorship. In January this year, The Times reported that UK government ministers are expected to assess the level of sponsorship in soccer as part of its review into the Gambling Act 2005.

Although Sportsbet.io will not be Arsenal’s front-of-kit sponsor for the 2020-2021 season, eight of the Premier League’s 20 teams have signed such deals with betting companies. Only six teams have no current partnerships with businesses in the gambling industry at all, up from three last season.

In response to criticism, Richard Masters, the Premier League’s CEO, defended the league’s right to accept gambling sponsorships. The executive argued that sport and gambling have a “long association”. As a result, Masters said the league was “not sniffy or judgemental” about gambling, but that it would accept whatever outcome from the government review.

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