Sponsor Spotlight: Big week for localised gambling partnerships
Sports sponsorships in the global betting and gaming industry never sleep. This week alone has already produced some huge deals, which will be seen by millions of sports fans around the world. This edition of Sponsor Spotlight takes a look at a week congested with carefully targeted partnerships th…
Sports sponsorships in the global betting and gaming industry never sleep. This week alone has already produced some huge deals, which will be seen by millions of sports fans around the world. This edition of Sponsor Spotlight takes a look at a week congested with carefully targeted partnerships that aim to push local fan engagement to the next level. DragonBet grabs Cardiff Rugby’s by the collar Welsh online bookmaker DragonBet has announced a new partnership with Cardiff Rugby, one of the four professional Welsh rugby union teams. The club is a household name in global rugby union, having been founded all the way back in 1876. In fact, 2026 marks a massive milestone for the club as it enters the field celebrating its 150th season. With DragonBet basing its corporate identity on Welsh national pride, it is only fitting that the operator teams up with Cardiff Rugby to celebrate this historic achievement. The DragoBet logo will adore the collar of Cardiff Rugby’s throughout the 2026/27 season. betTOM secures EFL marketing estate Football in the UK continues to pique the interest of gambling firms, now even more so in the lower leagues given that the Premier League’s voluntary ban on front-of-shirt gambling sponsors is in motion. The latest team-operator combo to find itself in the headlines is English Football League (EFL) Championship club Burnley FC and UK bookmaker betTOM, with the latter becoming the club’s Official Betting Partner for the 2026/27 football season. As part of the deal, betTOM’s branding will be added to the back of Burnley’s men’s and women’s first team shorts, with all three kits included. The operator’s logo will also be visible at Turf Moor, including in the home and away dugouts. Officially launching in 2025, betTOM is already making noise across English football, having just recently also partnered with EFL League One clubs Peterborough United and Stockport County FC. Greece keeps football Super Super Group’s eponymous sports betting brand, Superbet, has deepened its commitment to Greek football by signing a three-year partnership with the country’s Super League 2 – Greece’s second-tier professional football league. As the new season starts, the betting brand will not only serve as the competition’s title sponsor, but also introduce significant improvements to the fan engagement process, such as unveiling a brand new trophy design and launching a revamped league website. Spotlight rankings: Who’s standing out? 1. Superbet/Super League 2 Securing the naming rights to a second-tier football league and designing its trophy requires a level of investment that signals serious intent to push the competition into new heights. Super is definitely up to the task, given how it has elevated its long list of sports sponsorships across Europe. Factor in that Superbet is making such big moves in Greece just over six months after launching locally, and the picture becomes even more impressive. 2. betTOM/Burnley FC Speaking of moving fast, betTOM is definitely one to watch as it rapidly dishes out sponsorship agreements with English football clubs – now three in just the span of a few weeks. The operator is certainly proving itself to be a fast mover in the world of sports sponsorships, where every minute matters. 3. DragonBet/Cardiff Rugby It is unnecessary to point out how much history Cardiff Rugby carries with it. However, the club has seen some difficulties over the last few years, especially around regular league match attendances – which are still recovering to their pre-COVID levels.