English Premier League Club Sponsored by Online Gambling

English Premier League, Liverpool Football Club has become another team to receive sponsorship from an online betting firm in the UK. Announcing it has a partnership with 188BET the Liverpool Football Club deal will run for a three-year trial period. The other English Premier League club to sign with an online betting operator is championship team Manchester United. The large betting exchange firm Betfair is their partner in football sponsoring.

Liverpool’s commercial director, Ian Ayre said of the deal with 188BET, “Given 188BET’s presence in Asia, we will develop a number of initiatives that will mutually benefit our respective organizations,”

This is 188Bet’s fifth such agreement signed with various other English teams. The online gambling firms out to sponsor football is becoming common place in the UK, Italy and Spain. The Isle of Man-based company 188BET is keeping up with what many see as a growing trend in advertising for online wagering. The Chief Executive Officer of 188BET, Andy Scott, stated, “I would expect online gaming sponsorship to grow. Online gaming has been subject to the economic downturn, but it’s been a little bit more resilient than other industries, so it is an industry that has cash in its pocket and an opportunity to invest.” adding, “As a global company, being able to hook up with such a global product as Premier League football is perfect.”

Fans of football in Asia can while watching live Premier League matches bet on the internet. 188BET is expected to gain interest from those clients through billboard adverts at games in both English and Asia languages. English Premier League football is thought to be the hottest sports product on the market today. Liverpool’s partnership with 188BET comes on the heals of a four year agreement with Standard Chartered Bank, thought to be worth, £80 million that will let the bank sponsor the club starting in 2010. This is the biggest sponsorship deal that the club has ever made.