Football is in the top 3 most popular sports in Canada. But it’s not only sports that are popular in the country. Canadians love gambling as a whole. Based on national data, six out of ten Canadians partake in gambling. Because of this, it’s understandable that football and gambling, even poker, are now associated with each other.
However, not many people are aware of this. Kevin N. Cochran, an expert football tipster, explains in this article how football is related to poker and gambling in general.
Football in Canada
The football craze in Canada started in the 1870s. Numerous football associations emerged, such as the Manitoba Football Association and the Ontario Football Association. Simultaneously, sports betting also became popular across the country.
Currently, football is still a growing sport in Canada. Canadian football teams have started to create names in the FIFA rankings over the years, leading to more programmes continuously implemented to develop excellent players.
Football and Gambling
Sports betting is a popular form of gambling. There are even new casinos online that offer these services. Since gambling and casinos are prevalent among the wealthy, even football players and celebrities love to play casino games like poker.
Football-themed casino games are also becoming more and more popular, especially among football enthusiasts. For instance, you can now play excellent football slots to gamble and enjoy football at the same time. You can try famous football slots like Football: Champions Cup and Football Star.
Football Gambling Sponsorship
Unbeknownst to many people, the gambling industry is also directly associated with specific football clubs and associations. The casino industry has become one of the most active and most prominent partners in football. Various online casinos and operators have been sponsoring many football clubs and leagues over the years. Growth in online casinos means more and more teams get sponsorships.
A Brief Background on Football Sponsorship
Football sponsorship started in 2005 when Bwin, an online gaming company, signed a sponsor contract with a first-tier football team from Portugal. Two years later, they also sponsored Real Madrid, a Spanish football team. These actions started the trend and made football gambling sponsorship a welcoming gesture.
What’s in it for the Casinos?
Many gambling operators utilize sponsorships for internet marketing. Moreover, casinos and sports betting sites benefit from sponsoring football clubs and teams through:
Brand Exposure
Football is a globally popular sport which appeals to fans worldwide. When under a sponsorship, football players have to wear branded shirts to showcase their sponsors. When they do so during their matches, fans see the brands.
This awareness leads to the brand’s exposure and boosts the brand’s reputation. Casinos can’t easily attain exposure like this through other platforms or strategies. Although it’s expensive to sponsor teams, especially really popular ones, participating in sponsorships will give your betting company great returns.
Target Audiences
Many casinos do sponsorships to funnel their audience. For example, when a casino sponsors a Canadian team, they’re aiming for the local market. This way, they can offer exclusive gambling benefits reserved for Canadians. This is an effective way to reach your intended audience, especially now that digital marketing is so competitive.
Leverage on Fans
Devoted fans are more than likely to support their favourite team’s sponsors as well. When they notice continuous sponsorship from a gambling company, there’s a high chance that they’ll associate with it and support the brand too. Moreover, these sponsorships can also provide advertisement opportunities with the sponsored team or specific players to encourage fans to use the brand to cheer for their idols.
Sharing Positive Campaigns
Many anti-gambling campaigns put casinos in a negative light. Casinos can showcase their responsibility campaigns and promote responsible gaming and other projects through an active partnership with teams. Casinos can now show the values they hold.
Issues With Football Sponsorships
Sponsorship also receives some backlash and negative comments from the public. These include:
- The relationship between gambling and football is so strong that it can prey on vulnerable people. A published study in 2013 stated that gambling sponsorship leads to promotions that can encourage gambling intentions and cause problems, especially to recovering gamblers.
- Many poker fans find casinos focusing on football players unfair since there are people who are more connected to the industry, such as full-time poker experts, to whom they could give their attention instead.
- There are certain countries, such as the UK, where marketing gambling to young fans is illegal. Some people believe it should be against the law for gambling sponsors to be seen on football shirts, even if there’s no advertising during a game.
Despite few backlashes, football gambling sponsorships are beneficial to both the gambling and football industries. As one grows, the other does too.
