Betway eyes Sevilla FC sponsorship amid changing Spanish advertising climate 

Betway is gearing up for its biggest Spanish marketing commitment, after reportedly entering discussions to become the official shirt sponsor of Sevilla FC in time for the start of the 2020/2021 La Liga football season. 

Spanish football news source Palco23 has reported that Betway is leading the way to replace Marathonbet as lead sponsor of Sevilla, recognised as Andalucía’s biggest football club.

Following the abrupt postponement of the La Liga 2019/2020 season, Marathonbet is reported to have withdrawn its sponsorship of Sevilla, terminating terms on its existing two-year contract. 

Meanwhile, Betway, which seeks to further establish its La Liga presence, has offered Sevilla a €5 million per season deal, representing the club’s biggest-ever sponsorship.  

Betway has an established Spanish football presence, having undertaken a series of sponsorships with smaller La Liga clubs in Alaves, CD Leganes and Levante UD during the summer of 2018.

However, Betway’s planned Sevilla sponsorship will carry underlying risks, as Spain’s coalition government moves to enforce a new federal code across all gambling verticals.

This April, Spain’s Consumer Affairs Ministry fast-tracked provisions of the approved Royal Decree on advertising, banning all betting-related advertising during sports broadcasts.

Spanish football clubs and national broadcasters have criticised this action, stating that incumbents had been given no grace period to fulfil existing contracts.

The decision to enforce the Royal Decree was sanctioned by Consumer Affairs Minister Alberto Garzon, who explained that it had been taken as an emergency civic protection.

Garzon, the minister tasked with leading Spain’s gambling’s overhaul, has previously stated that ‘football has been flooded by betting partnerships’

Garzon maintained that the Royal Decree represents the ‘first phase’ of gambling’s overhaul, in which the new government will implement further restrictions and tighter monitoring of the industry within the coming months.