Without a doubt, soccer is the most popular sport with young Kiwis, with at least 400,000 registered players. In fact, the New Zealand Football Association has almost 500 clubs under its belt. There are six federations and many FIFA-recognised national teams. With so many soccer teams come hoards of supporters. Plenty enjoy sports betting and placing wagers on matches. Both casino and soccer bets are an acceptable form of social entertainment for New Zealanders. This can be either in sports, lotteries, or playing casino games. We've seen a surge in soccer wagers recently. They are driven by improved mobile technology and the presence of online casinos and sportsbooks.
Online Casinos and Football Betting
Virtually each of today's largest online gambling platforms has a dedicated sportsbook to offer football online wagers. Of course, a mixture of football and online casinos makes perfect sense. It allows bettors to move seamlessly between the casino and the sportsbook. For the sports bettor, it's the entrance to a world of online games of chance. You'll experience the thrills and spills of enjoying the slots, sitting at the table and live dealer games, all with the convenience of playing on a mobile phone. A whole slew among online casinos operating in New Zealand would love to have sports betting sponsorship deals with every popular soccer club. Such websites want to create a symbiotic relationship. One where the clubs receive hefty cash injections in return for prominent exposure. Which in turn, leads to greater brand awareness. For soccer fans, it's a win-win by getting instant access to a massive selection of soccer betting markets and online games. Meanwhile, they can reap the benefits of their club having more cash to spend on players and improved facilities.
Sponsorship and Advertising
All New Zealand soccer teams can't take part in advertising and sponsorship deals with casino companies. Furthermore, the same rules apply across social media platforms. You can thank the New Zealand Gaming Act of 2003 as it aims to protect young and vulnerable fans, shielding supporters against any possible harm that may stem from wagering. Now you might think this goes contrary to the trend of having casino sponsors similar to deals you'll see within the English Premier Football League. In fact, 8 of the league's 20 teams have casino platforms displayed on the player's shirts. As total sponsorship is worth around £60 million per annum, it's cash that soccer clubs find hard to decline.
But note that the EPL has agreed to drop front-of-shirt sportsbook sponsors from 2026. Remember that a large proportion of soccer fans are young adults and children. So, the move towards ditching online gambling platforms makes good sense. Some say that removing a constant barrage of wagering advertisements from soccer matches is helpful. It lessens the chance a bettor will continue to develop a problem once the temptation is removed. The Champions League doesn't accept sponsorship between online gambling sites and football either.
Fan Engagement and Social Interaction
Sportsbook operators in sponsorship deals with popular football teams understand the importance of fan engagement. As a result, lots of casino sites offer exclusive promotions to supporters utilizing the team app or website. This gives online players an added incentive to follow the team whilst receiving special promotions for their soccer gambling. This means things such as free wagers on certain games and better betting odds, bonuses, and specific in-game events.
Casino platforms get access to legions of faithful supporters keen to support their side in every match. Thus, it makes perfect marketing sense to leverage their support to make money and increase the casino's branding visibility. It may be done by running contests or sweepstakes on social media platforms utilizing famous players. It's a surefire method to encourage even more fans to gamble online. Online casinos were quick to commission game developers. They create original slots and virtual sport football themed games using the teams as inspiration. Thanks to ever-improving graphics, games now feature recognisable footballers playing soccer online as avatars. It's another effective means of drawing in young fans.
Football Clubs and Casino Partnerships
Over the last decade, we've seen plenty of partnerships between online casinos and football in Europe. Recently, in light of the rise of online casinos and the advent of mobile sportsbooks, there's been a surge in these deals. Soccer is an expensive business, and only a few clubs manage to pull in a yearly profit. So, the allure of an online gambling site providing significant sums in return for a logo on a player's shirt is hard to turn down. Thanks to more money pouring into the club's coffers, management is able to spend more. Improving their stadium, buying higher-quality players, and enlarging their global reach are achievable thanks to employing the added cash.
A good illustration of this occurred earlier this year. The online platform Sporty Bet announced a recent betting and football partnership with Manchester City FC. Collaborations like this will solidify the sportsbook's online and offline presence. Furthermore, it offers co-branding campaigns featuring unique rewards for fans. There'll be exclusive popular football themed content and other stuff designed to help sports bettors make informed decisions. Things like player interviews, pre-match insights and virtual access to training sessions. To further help fan engagement, expect interactive online casinos and soccer initiatives. These are interactive challenges, live predictions or football competitions. Fans can use the Sportsbooks app for access. Plus, it'll allow supporters to win team-related prizes.
Finally, the online sportsbook and Manchester City FC have agreed to collaborate on promoting social responsibility. This concerns wagering on sports while advancing the benefits of playing the sport itself. The general idea is to establish a safer environment. This could happen through implementing responsible gambling practices aimed in the direction of sports bettors. Yet, the effects of problem gambling are becoming ever more clear. So, it's probably time that soccer clubs started to look for other forms of sponsorship. Keeping in mind the current climate, tying up your team's fortunes to the sports betting industry is not sustainable for the long term.
FAQ for Influence of Online Casinos for football Culture in New Zealand
Are casino sponsorships beneficial for New Zealand soccer clubs?
New Zealand soccer clubs cannot accept any type of sponsorship from a company associated with wagering activities.
Which popular New Zealand soccer clubs have partnered with online casinos?
None, as since 2003 sportsbook sponsorship in soccer was forbidden.
How do online casinos promote responsible gambling within soccer culture?
Every online sportsbook has lots of tools available to help problem gamblers, but it's often the case that these offer little in the way of prevention. That's why the UK Premier League is banning front-of-shirt ads for sportsbook and casino sponsors. Likewise, players in the Italian Series A cannot carry sportsbooks or casino branding. It's the same story affecting La Liga and Champions League.
