Football is a special sport in many countries worldwide, and Great Britain is no exception. Things like the English Premier League and the Scottish Premiership are the strongest football competitions in the world and home to some of the best clubs. Despite the fact they have millions of fans, some of them are not happy about certain aspects related to the sponsorship deals.
According to the data provided by the betting expert Kristiyan from Nostrabet.com, around 57% of football fans in Great Britain strongly support a ban on the ability of online gambling operators to advertise their names on players’ shirts. Many sports bettors and football fans have been asking for such a ban for a while because they think the UK gambling industry is out of control. Despite its strict regulations, some reports show many people have gambling problems.
Whether the UK Gambling Commission will decide to take action is yet to be seen. There are many reasons why people want this to happen, so let’s learn more about them. Also, we will take a look at the other advertising methods used by the leading bookies in the country.
Why do so many people support the ban?
Everyone who’s interested in sports betting or casino games knows the UK has among the most liberal gambling laws. Consequently, many of the world’s oldest and most reputable brands come from this part of the globe. They offer a lot of attractive options and bonuses, which have an effect on people’s spending.
Some gamblers spend too much money
The fact that there are so many world-class gambling sites to choose from affects the population because more and more people are using them. That’s why some sources claim more than 400K gamblers lose a substantial amount per year.
While it’s true that a gambling shirt sponsor ban may not have that big of an effect, many football fans think it is a step in the right direction. Since football is the most popular sport in the country, many people who gamble online watch it. So, in theory, some of them may not place any bets if they don’t see the names of different bookmakers and casinos.
Some football clubs in the EPL have become too dependent on the online bookmakers
It’s no secret that the English Premier League is home to some of the world’s richest football clubs, like Manchester City. However, not all teams are on the same level in terms of finances, so clubs often rely on sponsors. This is good news for gambling websites that are more than happy to sponsor some clubs in exchange for promoting their brands.
Sadly, many football clubs can become heavily dependent on gambling sites due to the lack of other big sponsorship deals. This is not good because even gambling regulations can affect them negatively. However, if there was a gambling shirt sponsor ban, those clubs would need to find other sponsors because most bookies won’t pay the same amounts. As we will see in just a bit, this can lead to financial problems, which is not good for any club.
Certain gamblers and football fans think that this is related to match-fixing
Even though the English Premier League is one of the most prestigious football competitions in the world, there have been a lot of match-fixing accusations over the years. Sadly, this is a growing problem worldwide, and Great Britain is no exception. Aside from the EPL, the Cinch Premiership also had its share of gambling scandals, so it’s definitely something people need to be aware of.
Although the match-fixing issues and the gambling shirt sponsorships are not directly related, some people disagree. In their eyes, clubs with gambling sponsors are more likely to get involved in something like this. Since no one wants to have problems with match-fixing, many football fans heavily support the ban. They believe that this will reduce the match-fixing issues that are present in Great Britain.
Not everyone is so keen on the ban
Even though 57% of football fans strongly support the gambling shirt sponsor ban, not everyone is like that. The data reveals that around 20% of football fans have general support for the idea, meaning they’re (sort of) okay with the current status quo.
14% of those who participated in the survey neither supported nor opposed a potential ban. Those kinds of people are usually not involved in online gambling. Hence, those kinds of sponsorship deals don’t affect their decision to bet.
Interestingly, 6% of football fans somewhat oppose this ban, whereas 2% strongly oppose it. These people know that bookmakers in Great Britain have a key role in many clubs’ finances. So, every ban may affect their decision to sponsor a specific team, which will undoubtedly have a negative effect in the long run.
Lastly, around 1% of the people who took part in this survey do not have an opinion on the case.
What can we expect to happen when the ban becomes a reality & how will iGaming operators in Great Britain advertise their services?
The gambling shirt sponsor ban will be just one of the many measures taken by the UK Gambling Commission to prevent problem gambling. Some people have asked for strict rules for years, so implementing one restriction wouldn’t be enough.
In a situation where the ban occurs, some gambling companies must reconsider their marketing strategies. Nowadays, most brands rely heavily on the exposure they get from top-tier football clubs and rarely run ads. However, they will have to start doing this if they want to reach out to as many people as possible.
Aside from ads, we can expect an even more developed affiliate marketing strategy. A quick look at the top-tier bookmakers shows that they all have some kind of affiliate program. They allow others to advertise the sites’ products, and in return, bookies pay them commissions.
While this model is not successful for all companies, they will have to pay even more attention to it if they can’t advertise their names on players’ shirts. We can expect a lot higher commissions, better bonuses, and many other kinds of things.
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