The move follows the advancement of Bill 2,985/2023 in the Brazilian Senate, which is also seeking to impose harsher betting-related advertising restrictions. Outside of the coalition of clubs, critics also argue that the bill will destabilize the country’s entire sports construct.

The club’s statement forthrightly states that the bill is effectively “a prohibition disguised as a limitation” and says it jeopardizes roughly R$1.6 billion ($281 million) in annual team revenues. It also clarified that not only are these funds vital for the big clubs, but lower-league teams also rely heavily on these sponsorships to stay afloat.

In its current form, should the Brazilian bill pass, it intends to ban static gambling operator signage in stadiums during games and also to restrict betting-related advertising on television, radio, and digital platforms nationwide.

The news also follows the Brazilian government’s announcement in April, ordering licensed betting companies to register with its supervised complaints platform.

In addition to the advertising ban, the government also plans to limit teams to only one betting sponsorship, depleting revenues traditionally gained by teams from having multiple sponsorship agreements in place.

Furthermore, the proposal could also see clubs that have penned multi-year betting company sponsorships potentially lose out. Under the proposed changes, these agreements would likely have to be renegotiated – or worse, prematurely terminated, with the threat of legal action and financial penalties if they fail to comply.

Brazil Bill Limiting Gambling Sponsorships Could Create a Monopoly, Critics Warn

Despite the dangers the bill poses for club finances, the teams were also united in suggesting the restrictions will “severely infringe upon the principles of free competition.” The statement went on, “Allowing only one betting operator to advertise in stadiums would merely funnel consumers to a single market competitor, who would then become the sole beneficiary of the measure.”

Industry groups, too, were quick to warn that the consequences of the bill could lead bettors to turn toward unregulated platforms. The premise behind this, they argue, is that legal advertising naturally directs consumers to regulator-approved, licensed operators.

However, Senator Carlos Portinho, who tabled the amendment, defended the bill during a recent Senate debate. Portinho cited both the uptick of problematic gambling in Brazil and his belief that the industry was unable to self-regulate as the reasoning for the legislation.

Portinho claimed, “Football clubs are addicted to betting. Communication companies are addicted to betting, to advertising, to the money they receive from betting… and with this pandemic, it is up to us to impose discipline.”

Global Momentum Against Gambling Ads

Brazil’s latest advertising and sponsorship initiative marks a similar global trend as regulators seek to curb gambling sponsorship in sports. One instance of this was seen in the Netherlands, where the Dutch Gaming Authority, or Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), warned operators that as of July 1, it will be tightening its supervision of the ban on sports gambling sponsorship and advertisements.

While Brazil’s soccer teams have clubbed together in response to the bill, they have also urged lawmakers to adopt a more balanced approach.

In doing so, they reiterated their support for the need for responsible gambling. Still, they asked the government “to act with prudence, responsibility, and awareness of the harm that could be inflicted on football and Brazilian sports, both of which are cultural assets of the Nation.”

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So if you like a good lucky story, fancy a giggle or two or simply need any kind of sporting fix to get over the wave of cancellations, we hope the below satisfies those cravings.

Ronaldo, stick that down your pipe!

Once a highly regarded and talented centre forward, Dean Ashton’s footballing career unfortunately came to premature end in 2009 when the then West Ham United striker was forced into retirement due to injury.

Here the ex-Crewe Alexandra and Norwich City frontman watches back a selection of his best strikes while plying his trade with the Hammers, as sons Ethan, 12, and Lucas, 9, play pundit.

“Those red boots… They look terrible on you, dad!” ?@TheDeanAshton watches back his West Ham United goals with his two sons, Ethan (12) and Lucas (9). This is a must watch pic.twitter.com/Gpi53Xbnzg

— West Ham United (@WestHam) March 20, 2020

Birthday wishes

World War Two veteran Owen saw his 101st birthday party cancelled due to coronavirus, so a picture emanated on social media with one simple wish. Despite surpassing that with flying colours, I’m sure he’d appreciate one or two more well wishes.

That’s a shocker

SBC Towers is filled with fanatical football fans and despite all the rivalries that exist one commonality remains consistent, we, like many many others, love to see a horror miss. So sit back and enjoy the following 2 minutes and 40 seconds.

? A collection of absolute horror misses to pass two minutes and 40 seconds of lockdown time… pic.twitter.com/HUwBJ9eQoA

— Sporting Life Football (@SportingLifeFC) March 24, 2020

Fancy a trip to Iceland?

Proposing is equally one of the gratifying and terrifying moments all rolled into one, but what would you do if all those carefully laid plans were unexpected cancelled? Take note…

The show must go on

Self-isolation, quarantine and/or lockdown can play havoc with those daily training regimes, however, the individuals in the following two videos have a novel idea to combat that depending on the size of your budget.

This isolation goalkeeper training drill is brilliant ?

(via @TheSJTobin) pic.twitter.com/cuZ5Yonq2W

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 23, 2020

This too shall pass

CasinoBeats’ home city of Manchester is no stranger to recent devastation, with the city’s Northern Quarter frequently adorned with good look messages in the form of graffiti. We are proud to say it has not disappointed this week.

Marathon man

Last year the Rugby League family rallied after Leeds Rhinos legend Rob Burrow was diagnosed with motor neurone disease. Charity events have continued aplenty since, with one most recent effort seeing Leeds Rhinos Director of Rugby, and longtime team-mate of Burrow, Kevin Sinfield completing a solo marathon.

Wow, just wow! Kevin Sinfield runs a marathon on his own in support if his great friend @Rob7Burrow and achieves a personal best!! If you feel you can sponsor him go to https://t.co/5O51ysGoYK https://t.co/WQuHBPmOZ5

— Leeds Rhinos (@leedsrhinos) March 22, 2020

The post Part 1 | Social says: Enjoying <br> the lighter side of life appeared first on CasinoBeats.

With Evoplay continuing to make its mark across the continent, it wasn’t long before the supplier decided to launch a Latin American-themed football game. 

Penalty Shoot-out: Street, unveiled back in early July, aims to take players to the streets of Salvador as they attempt to score against the local goalkeeper on a street-side pitch. 

Speaking to CasinoBeats at the recent iGB Live, Evoplay Chief Commercial Officer Vladimir Malakchi began: “The main aim of the game was to expand our portfolio. We understand that in Latin America, and in fact globally, there are a huge number of football fans that enjoy these types of games. So with  Penalty Shoot-out: Street, we want to cater to these types of players. 

“When testing out the game, we received really positive feedback from players – our operators, customers, streamers were all enjoying this game. We identified what areas needed improvement and to be tweaked accordingly. We found that the speed of the game was something that Latin American players preferred, so we adjusted the original Penalty Shoot-out to meet that demand.”

A LatAm twist

The game, he explained, builds upon Evoplay’s Penalty Shoot-out portfolio but this time, with a Brazilian flair. 

Something that was highlighted during the discussion is that it’s simply not enough to just launch a new version of the game and hope for the best. Instead, the new iteration of Penalty Shoot-out required a solid marketing strategy that inter-linked product and player optimisation.

Malakchi said: “You have probably already noticed that we always try to keep our strategy line very straight. We launched this game the first time around in 2021 with a plan to be aggressive in the marketing of these football games. 

“Building out this product line and adding new versions of Penalty Shoot-out to our portfolio is part of this marketing strategy. We don’t just want to shout about how great our games are on social media, the marketing strategy needs to showcase our product is working and how it is optimised for different audiences. 

“It’s like having a great series of films – when you have a strong product and it’s marketed well, the end customer looks forward to the new version coming out.” 

Adding a new twist, plus additional gamification features to the Penalty Shoot-out series, is a key strategy for Evoplay as it means that players are constantly provided with fresh content, ultimately keeping them ‘on their toes’.

He added: “I don’t like the idea of having one game, hoping it will become a bestseller, and then leaving it to sit on the shelf. Eventually, it will become less popular with players – we don’t want that for our games. 

“We want to be constantly bettering ourselves and our games, so that players always have something new and enjoyable to bet on. And so far, that’s going really well for us.” 

Finding the right time

As we find ourselves in a bit of a lull when it comes to the men’s football calendar, it could be said that many fans are looking for new ways to enjoy the sport. 

So it should come as no surprise that Penalty Shoot-out: Street has been designed in a way to appeal to that demographic of traditional football fans. But did the downtime in live football play a role in why Evoplay chose to launch this title now? 

In Malakchi’s view, there is no ‘right or wrong time’ to launch a game, but rather a time to test out what works best and what can be improved. “I don’t believe there was one singular ‘right time’ to launch this. The right time is when you decide to launch, and until you try, you won’t know,” he continued:

“The key difference between this version of Penalty Shoot-out and previous iterations is that this is much more orientated towards Latin America. The side games feature a lot of street football which is very popular with players. We found this out by launching and then trialling what works.

“We feel that this version is much more oriented towards players that enjoy traditional football games – it brings a sense of nostalgia, similar to the football games people would play when they were younger. 

“The mechanics within the game are much quicker than previous versions of Penalty Shoot-out. Technology has improved a lot since we first launched Penalty Shoot-out, and at Evoplay, we’re growing our own technology stacks even further, so the game is much more optimised. 

“I think this game will prove to be really popular across Latin America, and even more so in Brazil.”

So far, the title has been “very well received” among the exclusive group of operators with which it was launched, with a number drawing attention to the retention capabilities of the game. 

This, the Evoplay CCO added, is particularly important given the rising player acquisition costs and increasingly competitive gaming market.

Malakchi said: “We initially launched this game with an exclusive set of operators just to test the waters and see how it would be received by players. We’ve had some fantastic results, especially when it comes to player retention. This is very important to us. 

“We know how to engage our player bases, but we also want to make sure they keep coming back; this is an area where there is always room for improvement.

“Penalty Shoot-Out Street has been shown to increase retention by more than 20 per cent, which is absolutely fantastic! Right now, we’re in the stage of monitoring results and gathering feedback from players. From there, we will see what is working well and where we need to improve.”

What does the future hold?

Despite only launching Penalty Shoot-out Street a few weeks back, Evoplay already has big plans to add more features to its portfolio with new gamification features and marketing campaigns. 

This will ultimately elevate the gameplay experience and, according to Malakchi, will keep players coming back for more.

“The first launched on 15 July and will be rolled out with a group of operators for testing. And then in Q4, we are planning to launch a new campaign based on this gamification feature,” he concluded.

“There is so much in the pipeline for us when it comes to gamification features that will be added to our games. Our main strategy is to launch these new features and carry out lots of new and exciting marketing campaigns alongside our operator partners. Ultimately, we want to give our partners something that they will enjoy.”

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Matt Bastock

LiveScore has unveiled former Premier League footballer Dimitar Berbatov as its official European brand ambassador. 

The appointment covers both LiveScore Media and LiveScore Bet and aims to increase the company’s presence in the European market.

Berbatov is a Bulgarian football icon who enjoyed successful spells in the Premier League with Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, and Fulham. 

The appointment follows a previous collaboration with LiveScore during the ‘Extra, Added Time’ campaign, highlighting mental health. As part of that initiative, LiveScore donated $309 to charity for every significant Premier League moment that happened after the 90th minute.

LiveScore CEO Sam Sadi welcomed Berbatov and referenced his ability to inspire fans on and off the pitch, making him the ideal appointment for the brand ambassador role.

Berbatov added that he was excited to continue to build on the momentum the partnership generated with the ‘Extra Added Time’ campaign.

The brand, more generally, is looking to expand further, recently appointing Timothy Oh as its first regional director for Asia. This follows a restructuring in November 2024, which impacted more than 100 roles.

Written By

Matt Bastock

Matt is a casino and sports betting expert with over two decades’ writing and editing experience. He loves getting into the nitty gritty of how casinos and sportsbooks really operate in order to make solid recommendations based on real experiences. His favourite games are blackjack and poker, and he loves watching NFL and soccer in his spare time.

The post LiveScore Names Dimitar Berbatov European Brand Ambassador appeared first on CasinoBeats.

The online casino and sports betting operator entered Romania earlier this year, but this deal marks its first partnership in Romanian sports. It has previously entered sponsorship agreements with five football clubs in its home nation of Armenia. 

Harutyun Vardanyan, CEO of TotoGaming, commented: “This collaboration was anticipated. Supporting the development of sports and promoting a healthy lifestyle have been core principles of TotoGaming from the beginning. 

“CFR Cluj exemplifies these championship values. The club, with its 100-year history, knows what it takes to become a champion.”

TotoGaming’s collaboration with the eight-time Romanian football champions has begun for the 2024/25 season and will continue across two full seasons. 

The deal enhances the ties between online casino operators and football, with several brands recently forming agreements with Premier League sides before the 2024/25 season began in August. 

Leicester City formed an agreement with BC.Game and Southampton FC partnered with Rollbit – with both clubs agreeing to sport each crypto casino’s branding in front-of-shirt sponsorships. 

Each deal between gambling operators and football sides arrive ahead of an voluntary ban on front-of-shirt gambling sponsorships set to be placed on Premier League clubs at the end of the 2025/26 season.

The post TotoGaming signs two-year deal with Romanian football club CFR Cluj appeared first on CasinoBeats.

The sponsorship of the Brazilian club follows a regulatory framework being formed in Brazil, after President ​​Luiz Inácio ‘Lula’ da Silva signed off on the legislation in December.

Fábio Pizzamiglio, Juventude’s President, stated: “It is simply fantastic that we have the opportunity to witness the arrival of such a strong and globally recognised sponsor like Stake”. 

Pizzamiglio described the agreement as a “great opportunity”, highlighting that the club is very motivated to ensure that together they can “reap rewards in the coming months”. 

The Stake logo will be placed on the front of Juventude’s kits, a familiar sight for fans of the English Premier League as the gambling company also sponsors Everton. 

Stake has posted on its website about the sponsorship, detailing Juventude’s rich history in Brazilian football as well as commenting on the deal. 

The company stated: “As well as Serie A, Juventude will compete in the Campeonato Gaucho and Copa do Brasil, so there is much to look forward to. 

“We will be working closely with the club to provide a new level of excitement for Juve’s fans. With once-in-a-lifetime experiences on offer and a presence at every match, we will strive to support the team and scale new heights together.”

Akhil Sarin, Stake’s Marketing Director, added: “We are delighted to establish this partnership with Juventude. Brazil is a key territory for our brand, and the partnership with a Serie A football club is a significant milestone in our strategic development. 

“This partnership is not just about business; it’s about celebrating the spirit and resilience of this club. We look forward to witnessing Juventude’s success in this exciting phase in the top division.”

The post Stake builds Brazilian footprint with Juventude football sponsorship  appeared first on CasinoBeats.

Upon activating the partnership, Booming Games will produce several slot releases featuring Ronaldinho Gaúcho, an undeniably immense figure of 2000s football who claimed both a World Cup and a Champions League, while gaining the sport’s highest individual award in 2005 – the Ballon d’Or. 

Max Niehusen, CEO of Booming Games, stated: “This is a crucial moment for Booming   Games   as   we   announce   our   groundbreaking   collaboration   with   the legendary Ronaldinho Gaúcho. 

“It’s like scoring a game-winning goal, a strategic step that   puts   us   into   a   league   of   our   own.   This   collaboration   expands   our   global footprint and brand visibility, promising significant impacts across the industry.”

Booming Games’ latest sports-based sponsorship will leverage the ex-footballer’s 170 million social media followers as it plans to launch an initial set of slot titles using ‘The Magician’ in the beginning of next year. 

Frederik   Niehusen,  CCO  at  Booming  Games,  added: “Integrating Ronaldinho’s image into our games isn’t just a feature; it’s a revolution in gaming. It heightens the excitement for players and is crucial for our expansion not only in Latin America but globally. Ronaldinho is a global superstar.” 

The move adds to Ronaldinho’s illustrious career as not just a footballer but in the sponsorship world too, having previously appeared in infamous commercials for Nike, Pepsi and Lay’s during his playing days. 

Roberto de Assis Moreira, Ronaldinho’s Manager and brother, added: “Ronaldinho   is   thrilled   to   join   forces   with   Booming   Games.   This   partnership transcends   mere   image   use;   it’s   about   embedding   the   thrill   and   passion   of Ronaldinho’s legacy into the gaming experience. 

“Partnering with Booming Games is an   excellent   choice.   The   company’s   top-notch   game   development,   worldwide distribution, and committed team make it an ideal collaboration.”

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Set to run through the remainder of the 2022/23 season, the partnership between the duo will see Hacksaw’s logo displayed on the Primera Federación club’s first-team football shirts, as well as advertising hoardings placed around the Municipal de Santo Domingo stadium.

Marcus Cordes, CEO of Hacksaw Gaming, stated: “We’re delighted to partner up with AD Alcorcón, an exciting team lighting up the Primera División RFEF.

“This deal will help us establish a rock-solid footing in the Spanish market as we embark upon further international expansion.

“AD Alcorcón are aligned with our own ambitious goals for success off the pitch, and we wish them the best of luck in their quest for promotion to LaLiga Smartbank.”

Designed to enhance brand exposure in the Spanish market, the partnership is the first of its kind between Hacksaw Gaming and a professional sports team. In addition, Hacksaw Gaming has laid out plans for 2023 with strategic branding opportunities central to growth targets across a number of jurisdictions.

Furthermore, the deal will provide an additional revenue stream for AD Alcorcón while helping to raise the team’s profile.

AD Alcorcón’s CEO, Ignacio Alvarez, added: “We couldn’t be more excited to kick off a partnership with one of Spain’s brightest igaming studios, adding to its already strong international presence.

“AD Alcorcón and Hacksaw Gaming are both hungry teams standing out in their game. With our partner’s support we look forward to living great moments this season and achieving ambitious goals.

“It is very important for us the feeling of mutual enthusiasm, positive energy and confidence that both partners are bringing to this collaboration. That shared commitment will make us do our best to ensure a very successful relationship.”

The post Hacksaw makes sports sponsorship debut via AD Alcorcón deal appeared first on CasinoBeats.

This collaboration will see both organisations “work closely to develop brand awareness, unique content and specific programmes” to allow Osasuna to tap into multiple European jurisdictions, with a focus on Baltic opportunities. 

“Our entry into the Baltic region, comprising Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, holds immense significance as the popularity of soccer in these countries continues to rise,” said Fran Canal, CEO of CA Osasuna. 

“This alliance is the result of the work we have been carrying out for months in all the club’s departments to increase recognition and establish the Osasuna brand on a global scale.”

The two entities have already established a strong relationship in the past year, following the club’s participation at May 2022’s Virsliga Forum in Riga, Latvia, appearing in a bid to enhance its European presence. 

Shortly after the conference, the partnership was further strengthened at the Spanish side’s home stadium, El Sadar in Pamplona, which hosted an international friendly match that saw Argentina beat Estonia 5-0, with Lionel Messi scoring all five goals. 

Corey Plummer, Chairman and CEO of Olympic Entertainment Group and OlyBet Group, added: “We are excited to begin this new partnership with the club, its fans, and the brand of Osasuna. OlyBet and OlyBet TV continue to develop and promote live sports and entertainment experiences around the world, and Osasuna is a key partner for engaging passionate communities of the sport, the local region, and of La Liga. 

“OlyBet and Osasuna will work closely to develop brand awareness, unique content, and specific programs to support Osasuna’s growth plans and to offer the passionate, exclusive and thrill of game experiences that OlyBet and OlyBet Club are known for delivering. Go for it.”

The post OlyBet secures strategic partnership with LaLiga side Osasuna appeared first on CasinoBeats.

This agreement will cover the next two football seasons with William Hill set to offer betting facilities inside the Birmingham-based Villa Park stadium. 

Liam McKee, William Hill Director of Media & UK Creative, said: “We’re thrilled to be teaming up with Aston Villa and to be delivering our unrivalled retail betting experience, along with some exciting offers and opportunities, to Villa supporters.

“You can always count on Villa Park to provide a unique atmosphere and we look forward to adding to fans’ matchday experience over the next two seasons.”

The UK operators latest collaboration will provide ‘exciting opportunities’ for Villains, with supporters able to use exclusive offers and promotions from William Hill, including access to match tickets and club merchandise,

Nicola Ibbetson, Aston Villa Football Club Chief Commercial Officer, added: “William Hill are an industry leader, so we are naturally delighted to be welcoming them into Villa Park. As one of the world’s leading sports betting brands, their retail betting offering is set to enhance the matchday experience for Villa fans.”

Earlier this week, William Hill announced a further collaboration with Checkd Media to launch The Inside Track, a horse racing panel show focusing on the lead up to Cheltenham, on the operator’s youtube channel. 

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