Global Sports Betting Roundup

The eyes of the sporting world will be on Stade de France in the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis this weekend when the much-anticipated UEFA Champions League Final will be played between Liverpool and Real Madrid.

But it isn't just the action on the field that is capturing headlines. The global sports betting industry has also been fluid the last seven days, producing its news share.

Let's take a peek at some of the global sports betting industry headlines that captured our attention over the last seven days.

Bitcoin Betting to Be Brisk During 2022 Champions League Final 

Cryptocurrencies are amidst a global slump, but the 2022 UEFA Champions League Final is expected to make history in terms of Bitcoin sports betting.

Along with the estimated 700 million fans around the world that are expected to tune in to the match between Liverpool and Real Madrid on Saturday comes an expectation from crypto betting pioneer Cloudbet that Bitcoin wagering on the Big Game will be unprecedented.

"As two of the biggest teams in the world meet in the most-watched club match on the planet, we anticipate the busiest day ever for crypto betting," said Cloudbet Director Leandro Rossi. "It's clear the Bitcoin betting boom will continue despite the sector's setbacks, and that an increasing number of bettors are reaping the benefits of the decentralized blockchain model. "The array of Champions League markets available at Cloudbet represent a tangible opportunity for users to grow the size of their Bitcoin investments."

According to SoftSwiss, cryptocurrency has become an increasingly popular way to fund sports betting accounts. Crypto use with sportsbooks grew 116.7% year-on-year in Q1 2022, while at the same time, the growth rate in overall sports betting was 60%. 

Big Names get Sanctioned

A couple of the big global sports betting brands were cited this past week for not following the rules in a pair of jurisdictions. The two latest announcements are further indications of regulators in sports betting nations stepping up their game as the gambling industry maintains its rise.

In Denmark, bet365 was cited, not fined, by the Danish Gambling Authority (DGA), the Spillemyndigheden, for allowing a young player to deposit a substantial amount into an account throughout a one-year period.

According to Danish law, it is up to sports betting providers to vet their customers, verify ages and investigate the origin of deposits from their clientele. 

In Sweden, Spelinspektionen – the country's Gambling Inspectorate cited and fined two William Hill subsidiaries - Evoke Gaming and Mr. Green Limited for not satisfying the expectation of timely reporting to the country's governing body.

Both subsidiaries had been under scrutiny from Spelinspektionen but failed to produce the necessary documentation. Their reporting contained inconsistencies and "technical errors."

Mr. Green had already been fined SEK 30 million (€3m), and Evoke Gaming has difficulty fulfilling its obligations to the regulatory body dating back to 2019.

The fines handed out by Spelinspektionen total SEK 1.45 million (€140K).

Check out the latest comprehensive and most trusted Sportsbook Reviews by SBR here.

Big Coup for Betano in Romania

Betano, sports betting subsidiary of Kaizen Gaming, has been making a habit of aligning itself with some of the biggest teams and Football Federations in Europe and Latin America.

This week, it was announced that Betano had gained naming rights for Romania's soccer league. A three-year deal will ensure that the league will be named Cupa Romaniei Betano from now on, during a time that Romania's soccer Federation seeks a "more dynamic and inclusive tournament format."

Betano is no stranger to deals with professional soccer entities. The betting provider currently has agreements in place with Greece's Olympiacos, Romania's Universitatea Craiova and FCSB, Portugal's Benfica, FC Porto, and Sporting Lisbon, and Brazil's Atletico Mineiro and Fluminense, among others.

Argentine Football Association (AFA) Lands BetWarrior as Official Sponsor

The Argentine Football Association this week became the latest global league to sign an Official Sponsorship deal with a sports betting provider. It was announced this week that BetWarrior is the lucky brand to be the first to sign on with the iconic football league on a four-year pact.

As part of the agreement, BetWarrior will become the principal partner of Argentina XI National Teams, the AFA Cup, and national tournaments.

Sports Betting Taxation debate Hits Poland

Just how to and how much to tax Poland's sports betting providers surfaced this week with a governmental committee proposing a change in how the country taxes its legal sports betting platform.

Sejm, which is the country's lower parliament, has proposed eliminating the current 12% turnover tax and adopting a gross gaming revenue tax, similar to the ones being used in other EU countries. The proposal would see a flat 22% GGR tax on sportsbook operations across the country.

Poland's sports betting scene has gone through some radical changes in the last five or so years. It has moved from an open market with huge operators like William Hill, bet365, Olympic Entertainment Group, and Bwin to a market featuring the state monopoly Totalizator Sportowy. 

BetMakers Strengthens European Presence with Norway Deal

BetMakers Technology Group announced that it had signed on with Norway's Norsk Rikstoto to become the country's new tote technology and services provider for horse racing pari-mutuel betting operators.

The 10-year agreement will see Betmakers' Global Tote Quantum(TM) engine become a catalyst to make Norway's horse racing industry a more complete and competitive international entity.

"We are delighted to have reached this agreement with the entities under parent company BetMakers and, under terms of the new agreement, to utilise the Global Tote solution with a desired outcome to be more competitive in what we see as a more liberalised gaming market," said Christofer Moestue Huseby, Norsk Rikstoto Director of Gaming Services/CIO.

"The betting system is Norsk Rikstoto's most central and critical component, so its replacement had to offer a sophisticated technological and service solution with a powerful core platform from which to deliver an engaging responsible gaming experience to our customers.

OlyBet signs on with Spanish football team Real Betis

Global sports betting provider OlyBet made yet another move to strengthen its presence in the European market this week with a sponsorship deal with top-flight Spanish football team Real Betis.

The deal will strengthen the OlyBet name in the Baltic region, where the sports betting provider is already a thriving book. Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania will see added exposure for the sportsbook under the new partnership as the provider attempts to further engage Real Betis fans in that region through live broadcasts and games, local events, and social media.

Betting Advertising Ban Hits English Premier League

The momentum to limit or ban sports betting advertising in Europe has been tangible, especially in the last six months. The latest example comes from England, where Crystal Palace FC removed online gambling company W88 from the front of their jerseys this week.

The football club will have a car dealership platform cinch advertising on their jerseys for the 2022/2023 season. Crystal Palace is the first Premier League team to remove sports betting brands from their uniforms. 

It is expected more will follow during this offseason.

Sports betting advertising continues to be a hot-button issue globally. Crackdowns on widespread sports betting content on the airwaves have been seen in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and Africa.

888 rolls out Safer Gambling Control in Europe

Like advertising, there has been a primary global focus on keeping gamblers safe – from the gambling providers and even themselves! 

888 has launched its Control Center in Italy, allowing its customers to self-monitor their betting activity thanks to real-time data, their "take a break" function, and an option to set deposit limits.

The Self Control measures have been a popular option for 888, which saw a 23% increase in the use of the tool in their global jurisdictions in 2021. 

The company's Control Center has been in existence since 2019 in the UK and has expanded dramatically along with the 888 brand itself.

Make sure to keep an eye on our Live Odds page throughout the week to get the best lines possible and connect with others in the SBR community on our popular sports betting forum.