Sunderland AFC has secured a multi-year deal with Shuffle, a crypto-centric online casino and sports betting platform that holds no UK Gambling Commission licence.
The partnership will see Shuffle promoted as the “sleeve partner” of the Black Cats, as pressure grows on both the government and the Premier League to intervene and end the promotion of unlicensed brands.
It will no doubt fuel the fire of Ladbrokes Coral owner Entain, who recently wrote to 10 Premier League clubs to urge them to cut ties with unlicensed gambling operators.
Sunderland follows clubs including Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United as members of the Premier League which have sponsorship deals with gambling companies that do not have a UK Gambling Commission licence. The Shuffle deal is similar to Everton’s partnership with Stake, whose logo is on the sleeve of Everton kits.
Shuffle branding is set to appear on Sunderland kits in the Premier League, Carabao Cup, FA Cup and Europa League, as the club ends a 53 year absence from European competitions.
Curaçao-headquartered Shuffle is set to collaborate with Sunderland to provide exclusive content, fan activations and influencer marketing, though there are questions to be asked around whether a company whose product is illegal in the UK should be providing activations for matchgoing fans.
The operator has described itself as “one of the fastest-growing brands in the global gaming industry” with “ambitious plans to establish itself as a market leader”.
Shuffle’s one and only gambling licence is its Curaçao Gaming Control Board licence, but, according to the Blask Index, it ranks in the top 50 operators in Canada, France, Pakistan, Argentina, Switzerland, Serbia, Latvia, Morocco and Bulgaria.
“We’re incredibly excited to begin our partnership with Sunderland AFC,” said Noah Dummett, Shuffle Co-Founder.
“We share a lot of the same values, we both have the ambition to be the best, and we’re both here to stay as globally recognised brands.
“Sunderland AFC has a strong presence among Premier League fans around the world, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to be aligned with the team and supporters as they push to the top.”
Deal may prompt further Entain pleas
The deal once again raises concerns around the visibility of unlicensed gambling companies in the world’s most-viewed league.
Despite this being a multi-year deal, it will be dependent on the results of the Department for Digital, Sport, Media and Culture’s (DCMS) consultation on banning the sponsorship of unlicensed operators in UK sport, which closed this week.
Even if the DCMS proceeds with a ban, it has already stated that this is unlikely to come into place in the Premier League until at least the 2027/28 season.
Incidentally, Sunderland is currently the only Premier League club without a front-of-shirt sponsor.
The club was forced into cutting ties with another unlicensed bookmaker, W88, after the ban on front-of-shirt gambling sponsors, which came into effect this year.
It is reportedly set to sign a £10m deal with Visit Ghana for that organisation to become its front-of-shirt sponsor.
Sunderland should also expect to receive contact from Entain as it becomes the 11th Premier League club to secure a partnership with an unlicensed platform this season.
Entain’s General Counsel, Charles Kovats, told Everton in a letter seen this week by SBC News that its deal with Stake “is currently functioning as an implicit stamp of legitimacy for a gambling company that has no social, economic or ethical interest in the UK’s welfare or prosperity nor a legal basis to operate in the UK”. It is hard to see how Entain’s opinion on Sunderland’s agreement with Shuffle will differ.
Sunderland backs Shuffle as challenger brand
Sunderland has stated its intention to “work closely” with Shuffle and added that the brands are aligned due to their “clear ambition to challenge the established order, grow their global presence and compete at the highest level”.
Scott McCubbin, Chief Commercial Officer at Sunderland, added: “We are delighted to welcome Shuffle as our Official Sleeve Partner. There is a strong alignment between our two brands, both of which have ambitious plans for growth and a determination to challenge at the highest level.
“Shuffle is an exciting, ambitious global brand and we are looking forward to working closely with them as they continue to build their profile and pursue their ambition to become a market leader.
“Sunderland’s global reach is stronger than it has been for many years. This partnership gives Shuffle a significant platform to build awareness internationally, while allowing us to create innovative content and experiences for our supporters around the world.”
Shuffle branding will be visible on Sunderland’s shirts as early as Saturday night when they travel to The Emirates to take on reigning Premier League champions Arsenal.
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