Over 160 gambling & betting brands have active sponsorship deals in place with sports properties in the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region. Many of these deals are highly lucrative, with six gambling & betting brands’ deals worth over $18 million annually. The sector has in place deals with some of the biggest sports properties in the world, which have large fanbases. The total spending by the gambling & betting sector on sports sponsorship deals is estimated to be worth $$816.43 million, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

GlobalData’s latest report, “EMEA Gambling & Betting Sports Sponsorship Landscape”, reveals that soccer represents the most lucrative destination for the gambling & betting sector’s spending, worth an estimated annual spend of $508.18 million. Sportradar is the leader as the biggest spending brand in the sector. GlobalData estimates the brand has a total of eight deals in place with sports properties that include UEFA, the International Tennis Federation, and the Turkiye Sigorta Basketball Super League. The UEFA deal is substantial, worth $40 million annually.

Tom Subak-Sharpe, Sport Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The gambling & betting sector is one of the biggest spending sectors involved in sports sponsorship. Brands within this sector are often willing to spend over the odds to tempt sports properties into an agreement. Betting companies prioritize developing their sponsorship portfolios to ensure they are exposing their brand to substantial fanbases, which include many fans who regularly bet on sporting events.”

The Russian brand Winline is the second most dominant brand, spending over $80 million annually in 2023. This is mainly due to the brand’s four-year deal with the Russian Premier League (RPL), worth a total of $174.32 million across the length of the contract. The brand is serving as the exclusive betting partner of the league.

Sharpe continues: “Across the globe, the gambling & betting sector is expected to remain one of the biggest spending sectors involved in sports sponsorship. Due to the size of the sports betting industry and the vast sums of money brands are willing to offer sports properties, despite moral issues many commercial teams within sports clubs and leagues will often have no option but to accept these substantial financial offers that can help sports properties secure their long-term finances.”