Gambling brands still dominate European football sponsorship

A new report shows that gambling brands continue to make up the biggest proportion of front-of-shirt sponsors.

UK.- A new report on market research site ResearchAndMarkets.com reveals that gambling brands continue to dominate front-of-shirt sponsorship in European football.

The report found that just over one-fifth of clubs in Europe’s 15 highest-ranked football divisions had a gambling brand as a front-of-shirt sponsor.

Some 51 clubs out of 244 had front-of-shirt deals with gambling brands. That marks an increase of 11 from last season despite tighter regulations on gambling advertising in countries such as Italy and Spain.

It’s also 18 more than any other industry.

The report estimates that teams in the five biggest European leagues (England, Spain, Germany, Italy and France) collectively gain around $1.2bn from front-of-shirt deals. The English Premier League (EPL) is the most lucrative, with clubs receiving $450.54m.

The reports’ authors said: “Front of shirt partnerships are often the most lucrative deals within a club’s commercial partnerships portfolio given the exposure they generate due to the prominent nature of the branding.”

See also: Bolton Wanderers to ban betting kiosks