There’s no doubt that over the last two decades sport,
entertainment and betting have become more closely connected. But the reason is quite simple: a proportion of sports fans enjoy betting on the outcome of matches.
Yet Bird notes that the convergence between sport, entertainment and betting reflects genuine demand from fans. “Tere’s no doubt that over the last two decades sport, entertainment and betting have become more closely connected,” he explained. “But the reason for that is quite simple: a proportion of sports fans enjoy betting on the outcome of matches.
“When you spend time on the terraces, as I did during my years supporting and working at Manchester City and in football more broadly, you realise that for many supporters it’s simply part of the match day experience.
“Tat convergence has happened because the communities themselves have converged. Fans want excitement and engagement around the game, and betting companies have increasingly delivered that in ways that are more interactive and entertaining.”
WHAT RESPONSIBLE GAMBLING SPONSORSHIP LOOKS LIKE
Bird is working closely with 1xBet to help guide the company on responsible gambling practices and how those principles should shape its sponsorship activity. His role, he explained, centres around maintaining integrity within sports partnerships.
“My work with them is really about ensuring that integrity sits at the heart of any sports sponsorship,” he said. “It’s about asking the right questions, Is this partnership appropriate? Are the messages responsible? Are we protecting the audience as well as promoting the brand?”
Bird’s perspective is also shaped by his work as CEO of the Raheem Sterling Foundation, where he has supported initiatives that engage
with individuals and families affected by addiction. “Tat experience gives you a very real understanding of what happens when things go wrong. It reinforces the need to identify potential problems early and, more importantly, to focus on prevention rather than cure.”
Because of that background, Bird believes integrity must underpin any project he becomes involved in. “For me, any partnership in this space has to be rooted in integrity and basic decency,” he added. What I’ve seen from 1xBet is a company that takes the issue of player protection seriously and is thoughtful about how those principles are built into its marketing.”
Education, he argues, is central to that approach. “Teir thinking recognises that education has to sit right at the top of the agenda,” he said. “If you imagine sponsorship as a pyramid, the commercial element might sit at the top, but the foundation has to be integrity and safeguarding. “As you move up that pyramid, everything is connected. You simply cannot build a strong commercial structure without strong integrity underneath it.”
THE FUTURE OF GAMBLING SPONSORSHIP IN SPORT
It is well documented that the Premier League is introducing a voluntary ban on front of shirt gambling sponsorship from the start of next season. Many expect those partnerships to shift toward alternatives such as perimeter advertising or training kit sponsorships, although these deals are unlikely to match the financial value of shirt-front partnerships. While the change may impact Premier League clubs, Bird believes the consequences could be more significant further down the football pyramid.
“For clubs lower down the leagues from the Championship through to non-league the situation becomes much more complicated,” he said. “If a club like Accrington Stanley or Hyde United receives a sponsorship offer from a betting company and that income allows them to pay staff, support players, improve facilities and invest in grassroots football, that funding can genuinely help secure the club’s future.
“Te question then become, should they automatically have to turn that opportunity down?” Bird believes that outright bans may not necessarily provide the most effective route to protecting fans. “Tere is still a place in sport for reputable betting companies that operate responsibly and with integrity,” he concluded. “But those companies must demonstrate that they are serious about education, player protection and duty of care. If those principles are clearly embedded, then betting partnerships can still exist in sport in a way that is both responsible and sustainable.”
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