Newly launched UK casino, Mega Riches has scored a deal to become the back of shirt sponsor for West Bromwich Albion for the upcoming season.
The casino confirmed its launch into the UK market through Videoslots and will benefit from the exposure of England’s second tier following the deal with WBA.
It means that for the 2024/25 season, Mega Riches’ branding will feature on the reverse of all men’s and women’s team kits.
Mark Miles, Managing Director of West Bromwich Albion, commented on the deal: “We are happy to continue with our relationship with Videoslots Ltd and provide support to the newly launched brand Mega Riches. The partnership brings vital support to both our men’s and women’s teams, and we look forward to a successful partnership over the coming season.”
Furthermore, as a result of the deal, Mega Riches has taken steps to engage with loyal fans and the broader community of West Bromwich Albion and ensure social responsibility is at the forefront of the collaboration.
Marco Trucco, Chief Marketing Officer at Videoslots added: “We enjoyed a successful partnership last season with Mr Vegas and we decided to put our new brand Mega Riches on their shoulders this year. We look forward to running a number of activations throughout the season to engage with fans and give away some great prizes.”
Amidst new framework
It comes after English football revealed it was set to adopt a new Code of Conduct on ‘Gambling Related Agreements’, safeguarded by the FA, EFL, Premier League and Women’s Super League.
The Code, which will apply to the football authorities and clubs in the professional game, will be implemented at the start of the 2024/2025 season. Leagues and clubs must abide by the following four general principles on gambling sponsorships to ensure protection, social responsibility, reinvestment and integrity.
The principles of the Code were agreed upon by football leagues and authorities in response to the Gambling Review, in which the government instructed football to ensure gambling is promoted in a socially responsible manner.
It stated: “Following detailed cross-sport dialogue, the following Code has been drafted by the Premier League, The English Football League, the Women’s Super League (the ‘Competitions’), and the FA as part of that commitment, to be applied across all of professional football and those matches played by clubs who are members of the Competitions.”
On application, the Code has been designed to complement existing statutory frameworks contained within the Gambling Act and all relevant provisions related to British broadcast advertising rules and marketing standards of the CAP Code.
Gambling Related Agreements will be applied to companies licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) or companies licensed via a ‘white label partnership.’ Should a Gambling Related Agreement be undertaken with a company that is not licensed by the UKGC, the agreement must comply with the relevant requirements under the Gambling Act 2005 related to advertising and ‘unlawful gambling.’
As such, football clubs and competitions must ensure that the gambling sponsorships adhere to the four general principles:
Protection: “To protect children and other vulnerable persons, gambling sponsorship must be specifically designed to limit its reach and promotion to those under the age of 18 (Children) and those at risk of gambling-related harm.”
The Code applies new club and competition principles on protection to minimise the exposure of gambling sponsorships in stadiums and during match days and that promotion remains limited on club websites and social media channels.
Social Responsibility: “Gambling sponsorship must be promoted and delivered in a socially responsible way. This includes ensuring that education and awareness messages are provided as part of all marketing activities.”
The Code will implement specific provisions on social responsibility, including that clubs offer player counselling on gambling addiction and risks, and establish appropriate channels for stakeholders to raise concerns about any Gambling Related Agreements.
Reinvestment:” The commercial income raised from gambling sponsorship must be reinvested back into infrastructure and programmes that serve football fans and communities. This includes investment in staging strong competitions, improving infrastructure such as stadia and training facilities, and providing community and grassroots participation opportunities for local communities. “
Principles on reinvestment detailed that gambling sponsorship funds must be safeguarded for activities delivered by associated charitable organisations, for the public benefit to promote participation in sport and advance social development.
Integrity: Gambling sponsorship must not compromise the integrity of football competitions nor harm the welfare of those participants who take part in them.
Clubs and competitions must ensure that staff and athletes are informed on The FA’s betting rules, which prohibit betting directly or indirectly on football matches or competitions worldwide and betting on wider markets related to football. Education programmes should be provided, including specific programmes tailored for younger footballers within Club Academies, as measures aim to maintain the integrity of football across all levels of competition.
