UEFA Land New Official Sponsor
UEFA has announced it has struck a deal with one of the world’s biggest sports bookmakers to become a new official partner of the UEFA Europa Conference League and the UEFA Europa League. The agreement has been agreed for the next three years, including the 2023/24 season.
The sports bookmaker that has agreed to sponsor and partner with UEFA is Bwin, one of the most successful sports betting sites owned by gaming giants Entain – previously known as GVC Holdings.
The marketing director of UEFA, Guy-Laurent Epstein, has gone on record to relay his delight at securing Bwin as the first-ever betting sponsor at a partnership level for the competition, stating that he believes the deal is a perfect fit for everyone, including the fans.
What is Bwin?
Bwin is originally an Austrian betting company acquired by Entain plc. They offer both casino and sports betting, with poker and sports betting remaining its most popular products. Bwin is already heavily successful, with over 20 million active users stretching across 25 fully regulated markets.
Stephan Heilmann from Bwin echoes Epstein's enthusiasm for the partnership by saying the deal will elevate their services and product to customers worldwide while also highlighting how the partnership can contribute to a safer betting industry for everyone.
European competition exposure
The Europa League is the second tier of European elite football consisting of some of the best teams and players in the world. 64 teams take part in the competition each year, originating from over 30 different European countries. In comparison, the UEFA Europa Conference League is the third tier of European football. It is usually made up of teams from nations that typically do not qualify or get far in the Champions League or Europa League competitions. There will be 32 teams from an array of European countries competing in this competition.
With Europe having some of the most relaxed betting legislation and laws, this provides an unspeakable opportunity for the Bwin brand to be exposed across thriving sports gambling markets.
The benefits to Bwin
As an official betting partner and sponsor of UEFA, Bwin will be highly visible during both UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League matches. The brand will be seen throughout TV broadcasts and in stadia on advertising boards across the world, reaching a vast audience.
Some additional benefits are that Bwin will have authorised access to these competitions’ content and be able to provide their own customers with packages and prizes to attend matches. Thus, enhancing Bwin’s own product and service in the process.
Fighting match-fixing through sponsorships
The partnership between Bwin and UEFA will also help UEFA to tackle match-fixing in the betting industry. They hope the partnership will contribute towards an ongoing process of identifying ways to beat match-fixing and maintain sporting integrity. Several protocols have already been designed and imitated as part of UEFA’s investment to prevent match-fixing behaviours.