What is the issue between Big Step and AD Among Football Clubs In Social Media?
The Big Step is an organization that is kicking gambling ads out of football. They are a campaign to end
all forms of gambling advertising and sponsorship in football. This group is led by people who have been
negatively affected by gambling.
They are an organization that hosts walks against gambling in football stadiums to get justice for people
who lost a family member’s life to gambling addiction.
Big Step are part of Gambling with Lives, a community of families who were bereaved by gambling-
related suicide.
They also run Football Supporters Against Gambling Ads (Football SAGA), a platform where fans and
people hurt by gambling come together, allowing them to join voices to urge football clubs to end and
reject gambling partnerships.
Big Step delivers live-experience-led gambling awareness sessions in community settings through their
partnerships with Lewes FC and Tranmere Rovers, with more clubs planning to sign-up in 2022 and
beyond.
Check out the Big Step’s Twitter Link.
What Does The Big Step Want?
The Big Step is calling for an end to all forms of gambling advertising and sponsorship in football, on all
mediums, including on social media.
They want betting ADs that make their way to platforms where young children could be watching, to be
regulated and curbed, so that these younglins won’t have access to gambling.
What Has Big Step Done To Ban Football Betting Ads On Social Media?
In July, the Big Step wrote an open letter to the English Premier League, calling for an end to gambling
sponsorship ahead of a vote on the topic at an upcoming shareholders meeting.
None of the “big 6” clubs in the League – Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester
United and Tottenham have any gambling sponsorship. But 7 of the remaining 14 clubs in the Premier
League do.
In an open letter written, The Big Step expressed their doubts about the possibility of self-regulation.
The letter read;
“Relying on clubs to self-regulate has not worked so far, the consequence being 700 gambling adverts in
one Premier League match and the same brands appearing in kids sections on club websites, in matchday
programmes, and in sticker books,” the letter said.
The letter also addressed the delay of the review of the 2005 Gambling Act, which The Big Step stated
was “delaying the inevitable”.
“We are saddened that the Gambling Act review white paper has been delayed yet again,” they said, “but
the government is delaying the inevitable’’.
“We are in no doubt that one government one day will do what multiple European countries such as
Spain, Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands have already done and restrict the obscene levels of gambling
marketing in football.”
The Big Step highlighted that the purpose of their campaign was not to prohibit the presence of betting for
football, but to reduce its presence in advertising.
“We are not trying to stop your fans from having a bet on football, nor are we trying to completely end
the relationship between gambling and football,” the organization continued. “Gambling should quite
rightly be tolerated and available for adults should they wish, but it should not be promoted, especially in
a globally adored league where young people make up a quarter of the audience’’.
“We would happily put forward representatives from the below list of signatories to meet with you to
discuss this further.”
You can read more about the Big Step’s campaign here.
Famous Football Clubs Sponsored By Gambling Companies
Which football clubs are being sponsored by online gambling companies?
Football is one of the most popular and admired sports in the world, with 50% of the world’s population
being fans of it.
Many online gambling companies are finding opportunities to turn this love for football betting into a
means to make more money. Hence, a good way to advertise their casinos is through football club
sponsorships.
Here are some clubs that have been sponsored by betting companies:
- Bayern Munich
Based on UEFA Club Rankings, Bayern Munich is one of the world’s leading football clubs. They have
not only won all three main UEFA competitions, but they also secured 6 major trophies in just one
season. Furthermore, Munich won 30 Bundesliga Titles and 20 Domestic cups so far and is still waxing
strong.
Due to their widespread popularity and worldwide success, most online casinos are picking interest in a
partnership with Bayern Munich in the past years. Bwin has been sponsoring this club for some years
now, and although their partnership was annulled in 2015, it didn’t take much time for this football club to
get a new sponsor in their cornet.
That same year, Tipico, a German owned Online Casino, took over the club with a new sponsorship
opportunity, This partnership was renewed in 2021 and will last until 2025.
- Real Madrid
Real Madrid is widely popular in all of Europe. This Spanish club has won the UEFA Champions League
and La Liga, including other international and domestic competitions more than once. It’s not surprising
that while the Spanish Football Federation is against the advertising of Online Casinos, most providers
still make offers to Real Madrid.
Presently, Fonbet, the Russian Online Casino, which was founded in 1994 is supporting the club.
Promotions on Social Media and through targeted incentives have proven to be very beneficial for both
parties.
Being impressed with the successful sponsorship, Real Madrid has also partnered with SportyBet, an
African provider. - Chelsea
Chelsea is one of the most successful English football clubs in the world, with 23 domestic titles, 8 UEFA
trophies, and 6 leagues won in the last two decades under their belt.
However, their fame is not limited to Europe. Unlike many other European clubs, Chelsea has a massive
fanbase in Africa and Asia.
At the moment, they are the present holders of the Super Cup and enjoy a massive following across Social
Media platforms.
Chelsea’s massive Social Media following, piqued the interest of numerous Online Casinos and since
2021, they have partnered with sites like Ukrainian provider, Parimatch who also sponsors the English
Football Club, Leicester City. - Manchester United
After Chelsea, Manchester United is also among the most successful football clubs in England. Man U
generates high profits yearly and has fans from all over Europe.
One of Manchester United’s most avid sponsors is BetFred. BetFred existed since 1967 and stands as one
of the first English Casino Providers that utilized the opportunity of offering an Online Casino.
BetFred and Manchester United have a long standing partnership, as they already shared a relationship in
- The current sponsorship on offer is part of a three-year contract, which might be extended at the
end of this period. - Manchester City
Manchester City is the current English Premier League champion and this won them the interests of
Online Casinos who are seeking for a profitable partnership. For the past 2 years, 8XBet have sponsored
them; this bookie is known for its anti-match fixing systems with different brands.
Fans and members of the Manchester City Club access special promotions, bonuses, and rewards from the
Casino Provider.
As more Online Casinos partner with football clubs, and it gets harder to score high in casino reviews,
8XBet is looking at expanding their sponsorship with a win in the UCL in the future. - AC Milan
With its history dating back to a century, AC Milan is definitely a football club that has a lot of character
and experience. Some of the world’s star players had their start at Milan. Andriy Shevchenko, Paulo
Maldini, and Ricardo Kaká.
Since mid 2021, AC Milan has been sponsored by PremierVegas, who was specifically interested in
influencing the African online gambling market. Although it’s not yet clear how long that contract will
last, it appears obvious that both sides will benefit immensely from it.
PremierVegas once mentioned that they would like to maintain that partnership for a very long time. - Everton
Everton is another English football club that is currently dominating the English Premier League. They
recently agreed to a sponsorship offer from stake.com, which is an Online Casino and a Betting Platform
too.
The sponsorship deal is worth £10,000,000 per year. They have also partnered with an Online Casino
Provider from Africa since 2017.
Due to their close relationships with progressive Online Casinos, Everton dedicated a spot on their
Website where gamblers can get the best tips and most important news of that industry.
Thanks to this, Everton fans can connect their passion for football and gambling, while supporting their
favorite brands in one breath. - West Ham United
West Ham is not seen as a strong contender in the English Premier League, but they are popular and have
a lot of loyal fans in their following.
Because of their large fan base, they secured a sponsorship from Betway, which has worked for them
since 2015. Since both West Ham and Betway are reputable brands, their partnership has been profitable
for all involved.
Due to the rise of the Online Casino Industry and the never ending hype for football, the partnership
arrangement between casino providers and football clubs is not a rare thing.
Betting ends hugely benefit from the sponsorship, and football and gambling fans are also beneficiaries of
this arrangement.
