Football Ground Map
Football Ground Map
It has never been a secret that football has tons of sponsors from all types of industries. Sponsorships are not only given to players and teams: New buildings and stadium renovations also receive huge sums. If you've visited the 91 biggest stadiums in Europe, you'll know that the money is well spent – and you'll also have seen for yourself why the stadiums need every penny. Building and maintaining a stadium is a costly affair, which is why sponsors are greatly appreciated.
But should they be regulated, or should any type of business be able to sponsor a team – and how integrated should sponsors be in the stadiums themselves? This is still an ongoing discussion, especially when it comes to casino sponsorships. Does gambling, coming with a risk of addiction, belong in the world of football? And if so, should sponsors, for instance, be allowed to take bets or run casinos at football venues?
When renovations began on Real Madrid's stadium, Santiago Bernabéu, rumours started circulating that a casino would be added to the venue. While Real Madrid were quick to kill these rumours, it sparked an interesting debate amongst football fans about the place of casinos at stadiums.
Many saw it as an appalling idea due to the nature of casinos as gambling venues. They wanted a complete separation of sports and casino games, so that people wouldn't have to deal with the temptation of gambling when watching their favourite sport.They also didn't appreciate the notion that a club would be willing to offer their stadium up as a venue for casino games – seeing it as a cash grab.
Others thought that going directly from a game into a casino would make for a fun night at the stadium, allowing them to enjoy the exciting atmosphere for a bit longer. This was also the case for some American fans when the football and soccer venue Allegiant Stadium opened its doors in 2020: With its Las Vegas location, some felt that they could've honoured the city's identity as a gambling and entertainment capital with more than “just†a betting lounge – by also offering e.g. slots, poker or pool games.
As previously mentioned, gambling sponsorships play an integral part in the finances of many football clubs. While many of these come from betting sites, it's also not unusual to see casinos on player jerseys, billboards and as founding partners for stadiums.
Some would argue that allowing the gambling industry to appear so prominently at games might lead to an increase in cases of gambling addiction in fans. And in this day and age, there are certainly plenty of opportunities to chase the high 24/7: There almost isn't a match or a sport that you can't bet on, and new online casinos constantly emerge.
However, as others argue, gambling is meant to be a fun way to add a bit more excitement to your life – and sports betting is only offered as a way for fans to get into the team spirit by upping the ante at games. Gambling responsibly is all about doing your research and knowing your limits. When gambling online, scam sites can be avoided by using guides like https://www.casinohawks.com/ for rankings of the best casino sites and reviews. And if you're experiencing signs of addiction, you can always reach out to organisations like GamCare for advice, help with self-exclusion and more.
All in all, the discussion of gambling's place in football is not likely to end anytime soon. Yes, top clubs in the Premier League are considering a ban on gambling sponsors on jerseys – but the financial repercussions of severing all ties with the gambling industry would land many clubs in serious trouble. Fans on both sides of the discussion consider the jersey ban a better alternative than waiting for the government to take action, which could very well involve much more comprehensive regulations. But nothing's decided yet – so we'll just have to wait and see how it all pans out.
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