Minister blasts Spanish clubs over new gambling sponsorships

Alberto Garzón has described sports clubs as “reckless” for continuing to sign deals despite an impending ban.

Spain.- The country’s Minister for Consumer Affairs, Alberto Garzón, has blasted sports clubs for continuing to sign sponsorship deals with gambling companies despite an impending ban on all gambling sponsorship in sport.

Spain presented a Royal Decree containing new gambling legislation to the EC last month. The changes would ban gambling sponsorship in sports as well as introducing new restrictions on advertising and bonus offers. 

Garzón says he fully expects the ban to come into force as early as October.

He said in a radio interview: “It is reckless that some teams have renewed sponsorship with bookmakers, because they’re going to be prohibited.

“Shirt sponsorship will disappear, and there will be no publicity of any kind for the sector except for between 1am and 5am.”

The potential ban would affect many Spanish football, basketball and handball clubs, including top-tier La Liga football teams.

This includes Real Betis, which signed a sponsorship deal with Betway just this month despite the prospect of the imminent ban. 

Last week Betway signed a third deal in as many weeks, agreeing to sponsor RC Celta de Vigo.