Betfred has become the latest UK betting incumbent to expand its Spanish football profile, after striking a two-season shirt sponsorship deal with La Liga football club RCD Mallorca.
The bookmaker confirmed its first-ever non-UK sponsorship by securing a partnership with the Balearian football club – facilitated by Sportradar’s marketing solution ad:s – ahead of the start of this season’s La Liga (16 August).
This summer, Betfred governance announced that Spain would become the bookmaker’s first international market having solely operated in the UK for the past 50-years.
Betfred founder Fred Done commented: “The agreement with RCD Mallorca is the first partnership we have made outside of the United Kingdom. The deal to be the principal partner of the Spanish Club is one we believe will assist our planned expansion both in Spain and internationally.
“I’m delighted with the agreement and I feel that we are joining a club that continues to grow and look forward to being part of an exciting season ahead.”
Maheta Molango, CEO of RCD Mallorca, added: “We are thrilled to have Betfred utilise RCD Mallorca as a vehicle to achieve its strategy of international expansion. In addition to this, we recognise our goals and this is also a strategic partnership for RCD Mallorca within an important context of the British, Spanish and international markets.”
Hampus Lofkvist, Sportradar’s Director, Global Sponsorship, said: “We congratulate Betfred on their official partnership with RCD Mallorca, adding to their long history of sports sponsorship. It was fantastic to see the club’s return to La Liga this weekend, with three points the perfect way to mark Betfred’s launch in the Spanish market.”
Moving to launch in Spain, Betfred has secured DGOJ licenses for B2C online sportsbook and casino provisions, which will be operated by the bookmaker’s new ‘operations hub’ established within the Spanish autonomous city of Ceuta.
The UK bookmaker is set to launch in Spain, as industry incumbents await the publication of the government’s confirmed ‘Royal Decree’ on gambling advertising.
This August, the PSOE minority government informed national stakeholders that it would accept all recommendations put forward by Spain’s Civic Ombudsman, who had urged the government to implement a ‘blanket ban’ on the advertising of gambling services.
The Ombudsman’s has called for the Spanish government to enforce the strictest possible framework on betting advertising across digital and traditional formats, but as yet has made no formal distinction on governing sports sponsorships.
Nevertheless, with advertising reforms at the top of PSOE’s political agenda, Spanish football governance has been criticised as a new La Liga season kicks-off with nineteen football clubs (Real Sociedad acting as the exception) maintaining some form of betting-related sponsorship/partnership.