Svenska extends Swedish sports deal

Svenska Spel has extended its partnership with the Swedish Sports Federation in a €1.6million deal.

Sweden.- State-owned gambling firm Svenska Spel has extended its long-running partnership with the Swedish Sports Federation via a SEK 17 million (€1.6million) deal.

The deal will start on June 1 and run until the end of the year.

It will see Svenska Spel extend its support of sponsorship agreements with 62 sports associations, funding the Forward in Motion Fund through which associations can seek funding for projects that promote physical activity, from table tennis for pensioners to “walking football”.

The extended deal will also help continue to fund digital education for sports associations aimed at combating match fixing, as well as a match fixing hotline for anonymous tip offs.

Svenska Spel will also continue to sponsor the Swedish Sports Federation’s Elite Sports Scholarship which funds SEK 50,000 grants to around 75 active athletes. 

Patrik Hofbauer, President and CEO of Svenska Spel, said: “As the Swedish sports movement has been hit hard by the corona pandemic, it feels good that Svenska Spel and the Swedish Sports Federation extend their cooperation.

“In this way, we secure important funds for Swedish sports. At the same time, work is underway on a more long-term plan for how we together can continue to strengthen the sports movement.”

The Swedish Sports Federation’s Secretary General, Stefan Bergh, said: “The cooperation with Svenska Spel and the financial support for the sport enables efforts to reach more, support elite activists who study, counter match fixing and provide the conditions for associations and unions to continue to develop their activities in line with Strategy 2025.”

Svenska Spel last month reported stable results for 2020 Q1.