Entain, owner of Ladbrokes and Neds, has said that its brands will no longer appear on the jerseys following growing backlash around gambling sponsorship of sports teams.
Entain previously sponsored a range of NRL, AFL, and A-League teams, as well as some UFC sponsorships.
“While we have had many great partners in this space over a long period of time, we understand some of the community sentiment around this and feel it is the right time to step away from this area,” Entain told The Sydney Morning Herald.
Entain also said that ending the sponsorship deals was part of a bigger reduction in the group’s sports sponsorships.
Ladbrokes ended its longstanding $7.5 million Brisbane Broncos sponsorship in July after the Queensland government increased the point of consumption tax to include free and bonus bets, as well as a new 5 per cent racing levy.
Neds had been the official gambling partner of the A-Leagues and UFC Australia. It also sponsors the Brisbane Lions despite no longer appearing on the team’s jersey.
Entain’s decision follows a wave of sponsorship fallouts, as well as new changes to gambling ad taglines that are designed to make people think more deeply about gambling.
Hancock Prospecting pulled its sponsorship of the Australian Netball team after indigenous player Donnell Wallam criticised the mining company’s record on indigenous affairs and statements made about sterilising indigenous people by the company’s founder in 1984.
Visit Victoria came to the Diamonds’ rescue with a new $15 million sponsorship.
Energy company Alinta said that it would be ending its sponsorship of the men’s Test Cricket team following a wave of protests led by captain Pat Cummins. The fast bowler said that there were some companies he “wouldn’t want to align with.”
The new gambling taglines will come into effect next March and replace the longstanding “gamble responsibly.” In its place will be seven new straplines including “Chances are you’re about to lose”; “Think. Is this a bet you really want to place?”; and “What’s gambling really costing you?”
The taglines will apply across all in-person and online betting services.
