Entain to stop Australian sports jersey sponsorship amid public unease
Entain group will stop sponsorship of the jerseys of Australian professional sports teams due to public concern over gambling advertising in sport.
Entain operates the Ladbrokes and Neds brands in the country. The move is part of a wider group decision to reduce sports sponsorship in Australia.
“While we have had many great partners in this space over a long period of time, we understand some of the community sentiment around this and feel it is the right time to step away from this area,” The Sydney Morning Herald cited the company as saying.
The company has in the past sponsored teams such as the Brisbane Broncos, Canterbury-Bankston Bulldogs and has sponsorships with the UFC and A-Leagues.
Ladbrokes ended a long-standing $7.5 million sponsorship deal with the Broncos after the Queensland government introduced a new betting tax.
However, the report said that Ladbrokes will continue its partnerships with Australian racing.
Earlier this week, the newspaper, together with fellow publication The Age, released the results of an exclusive poll that showed that 62 percent of voters would ban gambling companies from sponsoring professional sport.
Australia’s regulators have been stepping up scrutiny of the country’s gambling industry, from casinos to pubs and clubs and now online wagering.
On Monday, the government introduced new taglines that will take effect from March next year and will replace the current “gamble responsibly.”
The new taglines take a more provocative approach with slogans such as “Chances are you are about to lose” and “What’s gambling really costing you.”
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