Why the football industry and casino industry are so closely intertwined

We could probably exchange the word for 'intertwined' to 'established' seeing as the connection is at least 100 years old. And to find out more we need to travel back to Liverpool, England where, in 1923, Sir John Moore's founded the Littlewoods Pools.

For younger audiences, 'the pools' offered football fans the chance to win big money by correctly predicting the outcome of a game. Moore's pools were so successful that he was able to invest in a mail-order catalogue business, which grew into a popular high-street chain of the same name.

This connection between football and Littlewoods was surprisingly hardy too. In fact, Littlewoods became the first official sponsor of the FA Cup in 94/95.

By now, the National Lottery in England had dented the sales of the pools and other gaming sponsors were keen to grab a piece of the FA action. By 2005, the original Littlewoods had shut its doors, though it still exists as an online concern.

However, while the connection between football and monetised gaming may have genuine provenance, it doesn't explain why it's still so enduring in the 21st century. Maybe the place to begin is to check out the appeal of online casino for the sponsors.

Benefits to the Sponsor

To clarify, we're going to take a look at this within the confines of English football. The English invented both the game and the concept of gaming sponsorship, so it's going to be the best yardstick for what's happening globally.

First, be under no illusion, in the UK this is a multi-million-pound industry. 35% of front-of-shirt sponsorship deals in the 2023-24 season represent casino companies' and its worth almost $72 million.

By advertising on the shirt of a footballer, a sponsor is automatically rewarded with an association to all that passion and loyalty directed at a team. You could argue that, by association, they become an intrinsic part of the team in question, which is something a fan could carry with them on a day-to-day basis.

But there is something far more immediate about the sponsorship deal, and we've technology to thank. Up until the 21st century, if you wanted to put money down on the outcome of a match, you'd have to visit a licensed premise in which to play.

It's this immediate return of investment, alongside the loyalty, that makes the football industry such an attractive prospect for online casinos. But there is something else going on here as well.

Such is the popularity of football, an online casino will have access to a global audience of 30 billion people, with plenty who've never considered putting money down on the outcome of a game. In addition to this, it allows formally unheard-of institutions to become household names, even if you're not interested in the business on offer.

It also allows the company access to areas that, traditionally, were forbidden to them. The BBC, for example, as an institution doesn't allow advertising/sponsorship, yet online casinos are all over the screen when the BBC is hosting a game.

Let's put that into context with some research undertaken at Goldsmiths University of London. It found that online casino brands were visible on screen for between 71% and 89% of their flagship football show, Match of the Day.

Benefits to the Club

Through their sponsorship football clubs receive an invaluable stream of financial support, without which, they simply wouldn't survive. The money isn't just used to sign top players or improve the facilities at the club, it can be used for community projects outside of the game too.

Yes, cynics will no doubt point to the fact that it's another marketing tactic from online casinos, and they may well be right. But let's get some perspective, if you want your club to succeed and enjoy all of the benefits football offers you, sponsorship isn't just necessary, it's essential.

Just because you don't necessarily approve of the business in question, that doesn't distract from the fact that football -your team- needs sponsors in order to survive.

In the 2025/26 season, casinos will be forbidden from having the name of their businesses emblazoned on their player's shirts. This ban will not apply to airlines, for example, a means of travel that's known for environmental harm.

Summary

No one is forcing you to get on a plane or, for that matter, put money down on the outcome of a match. So, by means of conclusion, we need to look at the link between football and sponsorship (casino-based or not) holistically.