Over 20,600 Everton Fans Sign Gambling Petition
Everton has suffered a fan backlash over its sponsorship agreement with Stake.com. More than 20,600 people have signed an online petition objecting to the deal. The fans accuse the football club of breaking promises made,
Everton Fans Unhappy with Choice of Sponsor © Pixabay.
Over 20,600 Everton fans have signed an online petition demanding that the club end its sponsorship deal with betting operator Stake.com.
Earlier this month, the Premier League club announced they had reached a “record deal” with the operator, which enables customers to place sports bets and play online casino games using cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum.
The deal includes front-of-shirt advertising and is the highest paying deal in the club’s 144-year history and comes into effect on 1 July. The company’s branding will appear on both the men’s and women’s teams and at Everton’s home ground, Goodison Park. The club’s training ground, Finch Farm, will also display adverts for the operator.
Everton’s chief executive, Denise Barrett-Baxendale, one of the most respected women in sport, said of the deal: “Stake.com is an ambitious organisation with impressive growth plans and we’re all very excited to enter into a partnership with them at this stage in their journey.
“I am pleased to say that we have already been working together with Stake.com on some exciting activities and content for our local and international supporters, and we look forward to sharing more detail on these plans soon.”
However, many fans are outraged with the deal, especially as the club terminated a previous sponsorship with Kenyan operator SportPesa in 2020, with two years remaining on the agreement. Barrett-Baxendale said the club would move away from gambling sponsorships at the time. Instead, the Liverpool club went with online car retailer Cazoo.
However, a combination of Covid and poor financial management, including spending poorly in the transfer market, has seen the club post losses of almost £400m (£372). The club have also started work on a new stadium. Everton’s 52,888-seater waterfront Bramley-Moore Dock stadium is expected to cost £505m
Stake.com has been criticised for its partnerships, especially with Canadian rapper, singer, and actor Drake. The 35-year-old is a brand ambassador for the company and often live streams himself, placing large bets on the platform that equate to millions of dollars.
The company holds a Curaçao licence and can offer gambling services to UK residents via a white label agreement with TGP Europe, which uses SBTech software.
Everton season ticket holder Ben Melvin started the petition and has stated that he has suffered from a gambling problem in the past.
He said: “The partnership does not sit right with the club’s motto, the standards the club sets off the pitch and the fantastic work done by the club’s Everton In The Community in tackling mental health issues.
“I didn’t anticipate the petition to get to the level it has, and I realise Everton may not change their decision, but I want them to know how many people have signed it and understand how some fans feel,” Melvin added.
The topic of gambling companies sponsoring football clubs could feature in the UK government’s delayed white paper on gambling. It is expected to be released next month.
