LivescoreCasino and Gambling Firms Increasing Sponsorship in Asian Sport
Over recent years, the relationship between betting and casino operators and sports events, teams, and athletes has grown stronger than ever. This applies both globally and within the Asian sporting world.
For example, several team sponsors in the Indian Super League (ISL) are directly linked to online sports betting sites. This is perhaps unsurprising given the high level of betting and casino brand recognition in India as indicated in the online casino report from here. Casino and betting operators are taking advantage of this recognition by providing sponsorship in order to further raise their profile.
Why sports sponsorship by gambling and casino sites is growing
Building on their brand recognition is the main reason why online betting and casino operators choose to sponsor sports teams. For example, the ISL is the fifth biggest football league in the world, with a fanbase of around 130 million globally.
All of these people get to see sponsors’ branding when they watch their favourite teams in action. This is an advantage even in India where there are strict laws prohibiting sports betting in many states. This is due to the grey area of online casinos and betting sites which are not directly prohibited by law as long as they have offshore operators.
Of course, there are laws against the direct promotion of gambling in India but the sponsors of ISL clubs have direct links to betting brands rather than being the actual brand, so these laws do not apply.
For example, DafaNews sponsors Bengaluru FC, Chennaiyin FC, and Mumbai City FC. This brand is a news brand for parent company Dafabet. Similarly, you only need to look at the logo for PariMatch News and the PariMatch sports betting company to see the link. But technically it’s the news brand that sponsors Northeast United and Kerala Blasters in the ISL and not the betting company.
It’s clear that online casino and betting operators gain a significant advantage through sports sponsorship in that it raises their profile. So, the trend for increased sponsorship seems set to continue. In this environment, it’s essential to reduce any associated risks.
Addressing the potential dangers of sports sponsorship by sports betting sites and casino operators
It’s possible that the complex gambling laws in India will be revised again to prevent people from betting at offshore online casinos or sportsbooks. However, there is no sign of this happening any time soon. So, sports sponsorship by online casinos and betting operators presents no immediate risk in that area.
The main risk from this type of sponsorship right now is that non-licensed operators become involved. This could expose potential customers of these brands to the dangers of fraud or unfair gaming practices.
Government and state officials, as well as sports owners, teams, and athletes, have a responsibility to ensure that this does not happen. It’s essential that only regulated brands are able to become sponsors in the world of sports in order to protect individuals and the reputation of sport overall.