Manchester City Signs LeoVegas as Casino Partner for Europe and Canada

Posted on: September 8, 2022, 11:26h. 

Last updated on: September 8, 2022, 03:39h.

Erik Gibbs Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Gaming Business, Global Gaming.

LeoVegas is now the official casino partner of English Premier League (EPL) soccer team Manchester City. Apparently the gaming operator isn’t slowing it down, despite recently paying a massive fine in the UK, was the subject of an insider trading probe, and is close to becoming part of MGM Resorts International.

Kevin De Bryne
Kevin De Bryne, midfielder for Manchester City, during a recent game. Soon, he and his teammates will sport the LeoVegas logo following a new sponsorship deal. (Image: Getty Images)

LeoVegas is now the club’s official betting partner in Europe and Canada. LeoVegas, which recently received a fine of £1.32 million (US$1.6 million) for anti-money laundering failures, will now be seen across Man City’s home fields, Etihad Stadium and Academy Stadium. The former is the men’s regular home pitch, while the latter is where the women’s team plays home games.

The sports betting and online gaming operator’s logo will also be stitched into the men’s training kit sleeve for the current season. In addition, Man City and LeoVegas will create cobranded content that could lead to publicity campaigns and prizes for fans.

The UK is currently undergoing several changes to its gambling industry, including a call for a ban on relationships between sports teams and gaming companies. The EPL backs a voluntary system that allows clubs to decide if they want to participate, and Man City doesn’t.

Eyes on Canada

LeoVegas is also looking to expand its sports betting industry into Canada, but progress is slow. It already received a license in Ontario, becoming one of the first to launch in the province in April. However, the results haven’t been impressive.

The results didn’t reflect a drastic change when the operator reported its second-quarter revenue last month. Although its sports betting activity is on the rise, its overall group revenue of $101.1 million was just a 1% increase compared to the second quarter of 2021.

Sponsorships Still Causing Controversy

Several countries have proposed or implemented sports sponsorships by gambling companies. Italy, Australia, the UK, and others don’t believe they offer real-world value to sports or consumers.

However, these relationships continue to gain ground. Brazil has seen several new deals lately, as has the US.

A new sponsorship agreement is likely to stir up controversy once again. The Argentine Football Association (AFA) is bringing in BC.Game as its newest sponsor. The cryptocurrency gambling platform, run by Curacao-licensed BlockDance B.V., has become the organization’s global crypto sponsor.

Choosing BC.Game seems slightly odd on the surface. Argentina is building out its iGaming market, and there are plenty of well-established gaming companies that the AFA could have selected. There are also concerns about the integrity of some of Curacao’s gaming operators.

That isn’t to say that BC.Game is among them. The six-year-old platform has recently been looking for ways to stand out. Sponsorships help, with the company becoming the crypto casino sponsor of North American esports organization Cloud9 last month.