Online Gambling Sponsor Rejected in Wales

Published: Friday, September 18, 2009 Online-Casinos.com

Sponsors for the Cardiff City football club were forced by the U.K.Gambling Commission to remove shirts bearing the 777ball logo from the teams kit in order to comply with white label rules for gambling advertising. Officials for the sponsoring company flew into Cardiff for face to face discussions regarding the issue. The online gambling firm based in the Philippines had it's executives meet with Club chairperson, Peter Ridsdale and others and they were in constant contact with the representatives from the Asian company.

Macom Communications a well respected marketing firm also based in Asia which has brokered many other sponsorship deals for the likes of Ladbrokes, Betfair, 888 and others put together the shirt sponsor deal for 777ball. The Gambling Commission did not find out about the sponsorship until they viewed it on television. After which the company was informed they were not licenced to advertise their product in the U.K.. Curiously the 777ball web site only works with Chinese script with minimal English wording. The Gambling Commission said that in order to comply with the Commission's rules for adverts the company would have to move it's base of operations to another country. The only places licenced by the Gambling Commission are those white listed in the European Economic Area and those with agreements in place from Antigua, Alderney, the Isle of Man and Tasmania. It has been reported that there are other sponsoring outfits just waiting for a chance to get their logos on the jerseys.

Mr. Ridsdale said, "We are in discussions with others who are interested in sponsorship. I am confident we will be able to replace them if we are unable to resolve this to everyone's satisfaction." He also said, " if anything, the best thing to come out of this is that it shows the power of advertising." Mr. Ridsdale denied this issue being an embarrassment to the club. saying "it's a disappointment, not an embarassment.We cleared everything with the Football League, we did everything within our control." A 250,000 GBP is in the offering from another company for a one year deal should the current deal fall through.