Bundesliga officially partners with Tipico
Published on: 16.01.2018. Last updated: 06.08.2024.
Tipico, a Maltese betting provider, has hit a mammoth deal with Bundesliga International, a subsidiary of the DFL, ruffling feathers with Transparency International Germany. Over the next three years, Tipico is now allowed to slap the Bundesliga logos all over their services and snag exclusive rights. But hold on there, cowboy, 'cause this arrangement mightjust spark some grumbles, mighty loud.
Tipico's deal includes a "matching offer right" regarding advertising spaces with national licensees of the Bundesliga, which could stir up some conflict. As the DFL has promised Tipico "industry exclusivity" in case of booking by licensees, broadcasters like Sport 1 and Sky ain't exactly gonna be happy with that. They've got their own sponsorships with bookies Sporting Bet and Bwin, so it's highly unlikely they're gonna just hand over their ad spaces. The deal also covers the digital channels of the DFL, where Tipico will be flaunted as an official partner.
Now, according to rumors, the DFL has been chatting up other gambling companies about an exclusive contract. Potential suitors include Bwin and Lotto, though the exact price Tipico paid has been kept under wraps. Insiders guess it's around 15 million euros for the deal. For Tipico, this partnership could allow them to conquer the sports betting sector further, silencing the chatter from their competitors on the small screen. But don't get your hopes up; the deal doesn't include rights to Bundesliga clubs, but Tipico's already made a strong presence in the segment through sponsorships with Hamburger SV, RB Leipzig, and FC Bayern Munich.
Transparency Germany calls out the DFL for failing to take responsibility.
Enter Transparency International Germany, the organization that's not afraid to call a spade a spade. They're poo-pooing the partnership with a betting provider, arguing the DFL should invest more in combating match-fixing and gambling addiction before inking such deals. Sylvia Schenk, head of the sports working group at Transparency Germany, settles the score: "Engaging in such sponsorship without expanding measures to combat match-fixing and openly addressing the dangers of gambling addiction, especially for young footballers, contradicts the social responsibility repeatedly emphasized by the DFL."
Specifically, Transparency wants a ban on betting on football matches by active players, mandatory training for all license players on gambling addiction dangers, and a tougher stance on media-bookmaker entanglements. This includes pinning ZDF commentator Oliver Kahn, an ambassador for Tipico, as a violation of public broadcasting advertising guidelines. Transparency also criticized the current gambling legislation in Germany, arguing that the cooperation between sports and betting providers under an unclear legal framework is far from ideal.
All in all, Transparency International Germany is more than a tad disappointed in the partnership between Tipico and Bundesliga International, viewing it as a slap in the face to the principles of responsible gambling championed by German law. The deal may complicate efforts to enforce current gambling regulations effectively within the football sector, creating a slippery slope for future deals and potential loanshark ethics in the industry.
What about the potential impact on sports Broadcasting companies like Sport 1 and Sky, who have their own sponsorships with bookies Sporting Bet and Bwin, when Tipico, thanks to their deal with Bundesliga International, will be displayed on the digital channels of the DFL as an official partner?
Transparency International Germany, an organization advocating for transparency, has expressed concerns over the partnership between Tipico and Bundesliga International, arguing that the DFL should prioritize fighting match-fixing and gambling addiction before entering such deals, as doing so might contradict their repeated emphasis on social responsibility.
