SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
96.com has been named official front-of-shirt sponsor of Championship side Burnley FC.
The two year deal covers both the men’s and women’s teams, and will see
the operator’s logo placed on the front of Burnley’s home, away and third kits for the 2024/25 season.
The partnership also grants the gambling platform branding across various physical, digital and social media platforms.
A 96.com spokesperson said: “We’re delighted to announce our two-year partnership with Burnley FC, a deal that signals our arrival as a major player on the UK sports and gaming entertainment market.
“96.com’s exponential growth and success in recent years is testament to our fan-first approach that delivers the No.1 betting experience for sports fans. We firmly believe in the club’s future vision and can’t wait to support the team next season on their quest to return to the Premier League.”
Established in 2019, 96.com is a sports and gaming entertainment platform, which offers casino, virtual and online betting services.
Although little is known about the platform in the UK, Burnley aren’t the first team to sign a deal with a lesser-known betting brand.
Last month, Crystal Palace named Philippines-based online casino NET88 as the men’s official front-of-shirt sponsor for the 2024/25 season, which led to some fans questioning the reliability of the newly announced sponsor.
On the new deal, Stuart Hunt, President of Business Operations at Burnley, added: “We are excited to welcome 96.com as our official front-of-shirt partner. We are impressed by their dedication to innovation, customer satisfaction and responsible gaming.
“96.com have invested a record commercial fee for Burnley FC while playing in the Championship. With their support, the club will be able to further invest in the club’s infrastructure and football ecosystem, creating the best possible product on and off the pitch.
“The premium sports and gaming entertainment platform are the latest of several global partners to join the Burnley FC family, highlighting the club’s commitment to becoming a global and innovative brand.”
There has been a flurry of gambling-related sponsorship agreements in recent weeks, most of which have included Premier League teams.
Unsurprisingly the length of most deals are for only two seasons, which aligns with the Premier League’s upcoming self-imposed ban on front-of-shirt sponsorship deals, set to begin from the 2026/27 season onwards.
Helping to broker the deal was Pitch International’s Sponsorship Brand Consultancy division.
In a social media post the company wrote: “96.com has invested a record commercial fee for Burnley FC while playing in the Championship and the two-year deal will also earn 96.com prominent branding assets across other physical, digital, and social media assets as the Clarets fight for promotion back to the Premier League.”
