Online Gambling Companies Emerge As Cricket Sponsors Across The World

The number of gambling operators sponsoring cricket teams and endorsing athletes has significantly increased over the years. In England, such operators now account for 9.2% of the jersey deals in cricket as well as football and rugby. Last year, the sponsorship for Pakistan’s series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan’s Super League was dominated by gambling brands that pushed their advertisements with subtle changes in their names.

Betting sites have also signed deals with teams participating in the Indian Super League (ISL). What’s more, betting brands have aimed at building stronger bonds with cricket enthusiasts by endorsing renowned players and former players such as Sunil Narine, Brian Lara and Dale Steyn.

The rise of the online gambling industry

The rise of the online gambling industry can be attributed to several factors, including technological innovations. Nowadays, users are able to access extensive game catalogues through their laptops, desktops and mobile devices. In addition to a variety of titles, online casinos and sportsbooks have enabled encryption technology to ensure that users’ data remains secure. The availability of multiple payment methods—bank cards, direct bank transfers, e-wallets and even cryptocurrency—facilitates the rapid withdrawal and deposit of funds.

The pandemic is yet another factor behind the boom in the online gambling industry’s popularity. Online gambling increased from 62% to 78%, and commercial gambling revenue ended up surpassing 44 billion USD in 2021.

All of the aforementioned factors have made online gambling a popular activity across the world, which has resulted in the proliferation of cricket sponsorships.

Cricket teams sponsored by gambling brands

In India, betting site Parimatch, through its surrogate, Parimatch News, made deals in 2022 with the teams Rajasthan Warriors and Chepauk Super Gillies as well as with the Saurashtra Premier League. The sports betting company, which was established in Europe in 1994, has also taken an interest in other sports, sponsoring various football clubs and Kabaddi teams in the country.

The Manipal Tigers and iDream Tiruppur Tamizhans picked the interests of betting site Dafabet, and signed an agreement through the company’s surrogate news website, Dafa News.

In South Africa, Betway became the official sponsor of the first edition of the Twenty20 Cricket League. No stranger to the world of cricket, the betting site has amassed similar deals with Cricket South Africa and Cricket West Indies.

Stake.com, a cryptocurrency betting platform, became the leading partner of the European Cricket Championships that ran in September/October 2022.

Cricketers and ex-cricketers have also partnered with gambling companies. In 2021, Brian Lara, one of the legends of the sport, signed a deal with W88, which sought to help the brand “build their market presence in the sport.” Sunil Narine, Dale Steyn and Chris Gayle struck similar agreements with gambling operators.

The future of gambling sponsorships in cricket

With cricket’s popularity and upcoming events such as the 2023 T20 Asia Cup, IPL 2023 and Cricket World Cup 2023, similar partnerships as the aforementioned are to be expected. Online sportsbooks and casinos will likely continue connecting with cricket enthusiasts through their favourite teams and players.