Stake.com To Sponsor Chelsea FC and Expand to Australia
Chelsea could potentially be sponsored by the online casino Stake.com next year. The deal is expected to bring in 拢40 million (NZ$ 82,45m)聽 for the English football club for a one year agreement.聽
The possible deal is highly remarkable as Premier League clubs have agreed to ban gambling advertising on the front of their shirts. Supporters of Chelsea are strongly against the deal with the controversial online casino.
With Chelsea facing a multi-million pound shortfall following their failure to qualify forEuropean football, the club is doing everything possible to maintain their financial stability. In their search for a new shirt sponsor, the London-based club has reportedly turned to online casino Stake.com, according to the Evening Standard.
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Going Against the Tide
Whilst the English Premier League (EPL) is set to implement a ban on gambling sponsorships displayed on the front of shirts, Chelsea FC is taking a different path. The club has opted to collaborate with online gaming platform Stake.com. The EPL confirmed just a couple of months ago that starting from the 2026-27 season, all front-of-shirt sponsorships will be prohibited. This decision, which does not extend to sleeve sponsorships, was approved through a vote by the majority of EPL teams. Chelsea partly blamed the EPL for their choice, as the club had initially sought a partnership with Paramount Plus. However, the league denied the request due to concerns about potential repercussions on their broadcast partners.
Interestingly, this move by Chelsea seems to overlook the negative publicity and the backlash faced by fellow UK club Everton when they partnered with Stake.com not long ago. Despite the controversy, Chelsea appears to be driven by financial considerations as they forge ahead with the sponsorship deal with Stake.com. The negotiations between the two parties are nearly completed, with the agreement reportedly valued at just under 拢40 million (NZ$ 82.40 million) for a one-year term. This figure is four times higher than what Everton received.
Make Sure To Read: UK Gaming White Paper Will Influence Australian Reform
Chelsea Fans Disapprove
The proposed shirt sponsorship with an online casino that touts itself as a “worldwide leader in crypto gambling” has faced strong opposition from Chelsea supporters. With their deal with mobile phone company Three expiring, the club had hoped to secure a lucrative partnership with the American streaming service Paramount+. However, the Premier League blocked this potential deal to avoid upsetting TV rights holders. A survey conducted by the Chelsea Supporters’ Trust revealed that 77% of fans disagree or strongly disagree with the proposed deal with Stake.
Looking to Expand to Australia
Whilst Stake.com is establishing new sponsorship agreements worldwide, it also has its sights set on its home turf. The company’s executives are based in Australia, although it currently holds a gaming licence in Cura莽ao and is not a legal option in the country.
According to the Herald Sun, Edward Craven and Bijan Tehrani, the owners of Stake.com, have registered a new entity called Stake Gaming Pty Ltd. with the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC). This marks the first approval of a Stake.com-associated gaming company.
Whilst it hasn’t been publicly confirmed, there are several indications that Stake.com intends to enter the Australian market and compete with established operators such as Sportsbet and Tabcorp. Tehrani mentioned in an interview with The Weekend Australian Magazine last year that Stake.com was in the process of applying for a sports betting licence in Australia.
Sportsbet currently holds the largest share of the Australian sports betting market. If Stake.com’s success elsewhere is any indication for its future growth, it could potentially challenge Sportsbet’s position at the top. Stake.com reportedly handles approximately AU$585 million (NZ $ 645,92 million) in daily wagers from markets in the rest of the world.
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About Stake.com
Stake.com’s UK website, proudly highlighting its status as the “main partner of Everton,” operates as a standard betting platform offering a sportsbook and online casino. Users outside the United Kingdom can also utilise Stake.com to place bets using bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Its global website describes Stake.com as a leading global provider of crypto gambling, offering a complete online casino and sports betting platform for bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Over the years, Stake.com has faced some negative publicity due to controversial bets made by Canadian rapper/singer Drake, a multimillion-dollar lawsuit filed by a former partner, amongst others.
Make Sure To Read: Our Full Stake.com Review.
