Aston Villa Partners with BK8
Premier League side Aston Villa has reportedly signed a lucrative three-year deal with Asian gambling operator BK8. Neither the club nor the betting firm have commented publicly on the deal yet, although it is likely that the BK8 logo will be featured on club shirts. The partnership has been met with criticism by fans, as the bookmaker was previously dropped by Norwich City over sexually provocative adverts.
The Premier League is the most watched football league in the world. ©Jeshoots.com/Pexels
Biggest Contract for BK8
Aston Villa is reported to have signed a new sponsorship deal with Asian online gambling operator BK8. The deal comes just a matter of weeks before the government is expected to publish its long-awaited Gambling Act Review white paper. Neither the club nor the bookmaker have confirmed any details of the partnership, but it is expected that the BK8 logo will feature prominently on club jerseys.
Aston Villa’s partnership with online car retailer Cazoo is due to expire at the end of the season. Cazoo signed a three-year deal with the club ahead of the 2020-21 season, but has decided not to extend the contract due to financial problems. As Aston Villa’s principal sponsor, Cazoo’s branding featured prominently on the playing kits and training wear of all the Club sides, including junior kits.
While it was clear that Aston Villa were in the market for a new front of shirt sponsor from next season, the club’s choice of partner has come as a surprise to many. The deal with Aston Villa is BK8’s largest contract to date. The move is the latest in the sportsbook’s campaign to become a household name in the UK and abroad.
BK8 has previously partnered with La Liga in Spain and boasts a number of well-known brand ambassadors including former Chelsea captain John Terry. It has also delved into the world of e-sports, sponsoring the Malaysia KPL 5v5 Online Tournament. With its headquarters in Malta and offices in Curacao, Cambodia and the Philippines, BK8 primarily serves the Asian online gambling community.
BK8’s latest deal with Aston Villa is a significant one. The Premier League is the most-watched football league in the world and is broadcast to a potential TV audience of 4.7 billion people. It is the most widely distributed sports program in Asia. With its branding on Aston Villa’s shirts, the sportsbook will be showcased to a larger audience than ever before.
Fans Angry at Deal
While Aston Villa and BK8 both stand to benefit from the three-year partnership, it has not come without its share of controversy. Fans have expressed dismay at the deal, due the bookmaker’s dodgy history when it comes to advertising. BK8 prominently used sexualized images of young women in its marketing campaigns.
In 2021, Norwich City terminated its one-year partnership with BK8 just three days after it was signed. The club’s supporters were vocal in their opposition, dredging up examples of the sportsbook’s marketing materials that fell far short of the UK Advertising Standards Agency’s requirements for publicly available campaigns.
BK8 marketing on YouTube appeared to show simulated sex acts with a sausage, while an Instagram account belonging to a BK8 ambassador with nearly 300,000 followers was linked directly to hardcore pornography.
In total, more than a hundred complaints were received in writing by the club’s public relations office. A group of Norwich City fan groups also posted a video denouncing the sponsorship, using the hashtag #hergametoo. Norwich City later stated that the adverts did not align with the wider vision of the club, before cutting ties with BK8. A spokesperson for the club stated:
“Whilst we anticipated some negative responses to the announcement of the partnership with a betting company, the club understands the reaction to BK8, their affiliates and other similar brands’ ways of marketing, the values of which do not align with those of the football club. On this occasion, we got it wrong. For that, and any offence caused, the club apologises.”
At the time, BK8 also apologized for the offensive content, of which it removed a portion. It has since attempted to distance itself from the controversy, remarketing itself through smaller partnerships with Burnley, Huddersfield and Crystal Palace.
White Paper Imminent
BK8’s history of sexist advertising is not the only reason that fans are unhappy with Aston Villa’s new contract. The deal comes just weeks before the government is expected to publish a white paper outlining new gambling reforms. One of the main topics under discussion during the government’s Gambling Act Review has been future of betting sponsorships in Premier League football.
Discussions around a voluntary ban on sportsbooks sponsoring the shirts of top-flight clubs are still ongoing. Clubs have indicated that they are open to a voluntary crackdown on gambling shirt sponsorships in preference to government legislation banning the practice outright.
Last summer, the Premier League was due to vote on a ban on front-of-shirt sponsorships. However, that vote was postponed, with the League blaming the “political hiatus”. Further doubts over an agreement on the matter have been cast as Bournemouth, Everton and Fulham have signed shirt deals with sportsbooks for the current season.
Those who have criticized the deal include former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith, who described that partnership as an “ill-judged move”. James Grimes, founder of the Big Step campaign against gambling sponsorship in football called it “tone-deaf”, calling on the government to take responsibility.
BK8 is not the only Asian betting brand to partner with Aston Villa. In August 2022, Aston Villa named Kaiyun Sports as its official sleeve partner. The bookmaker is one of Asia’s top digital sports platforms, but is new to the European market. It has partnered with TGP Europe Limited to bring its brand to UK customers.
Earlier this year, Aston Villa announced a partnership with William Hill, naming the heritage bookmaker as its official in-stadium betting partner. For the next two seasons, fans will benefit from new betting facilities at Villa Park stadium as well as exclusive offers and promotions. The club has also been granted planning permission to redevelop and expand the stadium, increasing its capacity to more than 50,000.
