Asian-facing betting operator Dafabet has been confirmed as the main shirt sponsor of English Premier League club Aston Villa.
The operator, which holds licences in the Philippines and the Isle of Man, replaces fellow Asian brand Genting as main club sponsor, which enjoyed a two-year association with the club.
Dimitris Karatzas, MD of betting and gaming for Dafabet’s AsianLogic-owned Isle of Man holding company AsianBGE, said the company’s betting partnerships with Spurs and West Brom last season had opened their eyes to the “increased potential” of being a main sponsor.
“We are delighted to see Dafabet on the front of such a well-recognised shirt”, said Karatzas.
Aston Villa chief executive Paul Faulkner said he was looking forward to working with Dafabet as they continued to move the club forward, addoing that Dafabet had shown willingness during negotiations “to work with us in our continued support for [designated club charity] Acorns.”
Aston Villa officially unveiled the new Dafabet-adorned club shirt this afternoon, with a “kit-launch festival” also taking place this weekend.
Asian online operators have featured prominently on EPL shirts in recent years, due mainly to the brand awareness and spikes in in-play volumes that TV coverage generates in their home Asian markets. The effects are most pronounced when their teams play those with the largest fan-bases in Asia, such as Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool.
But with SBObet not renewing its sponsorship of West Ham and 12bet-sponsored Wigan dropping out of the top flight last season, Dafabet is at present the sole Asian online brand due to appear on a top division shirt next season. A number do however still retain betting partner deals, including 12bet with Liverpool, Fun88 with Spurs, and of course Dafabet with Everton and West Brom.
Another Philippines-licensed Asian brand with an Isle of Man-licensed holding company, 138.com, was also unveiled as the new sponsor of second-tier Watford FC last week.
Long-time Hornets supporter and former head of egaming development for the IOM government, Garth Kimber, is CEO of the Xela Holdings company based in the IOM. Kimber’s predecessor in the government job Bill Mummery also departed for a similar role, as director of SBObet’s Celton Manx subsidiary.
Article written by Peter Holmes
