Aston Villa and Betano have officially announced a two-year sponsorship agreement previously rumoured to be in development in the British media.
The betting operator, owned by Greek multinational gambling group Kaizen Gaming, has become the front-of-shirt partner of Aston Villa for the 2024/25 and 2025/26 seasons.
This aligns with an incoming self-imposed commitment by Premier League clubs to abstain from front-of-shirt betting partnerships form the 2026/27 season onwards.
Only sleeve partnerships will be allowed from 2026/27 on, although in-stadia marketing will also be allowed to continue. It is unclear at this time whether Betano will pursue a continuation of its deal with Aston Villa after this point.
Chris Heck, President of Business Operations at Aston Villa, said: “We are delighted to welcome Betano as Aston Villa’s new principal partner. Their dedication to innovation, customer satisfaction and responsible gaming aligns perfectly with the values we hold dear as a club.
“Aston Villa and Betano share a commitment to excellence, and we look forward to achieving great success together on and off the pitch. This collaboration marks an exciting chapter for both our organisations.”
The exact amount Betano will pay for the marketing on Villa’s shirts has not been stated by either partner. It had previously been reported by The Telegraph that the bookmaker would pay £20m per season, for a total partnership value of £40m.
If The Telegraph’s claims are accurate this would be double the amount Villa’s current front-of-shirt partner, Chinese gaming firm BK8, is paying for its own brand exposure.
Despite the incoming front-of-shirt sponsor ban, betting partnerships remain a popular means for both operators to gain visibility in the high-profile Premier League and for clubs to maximise their revenues from sponsorships.
For Betano, which initiated a UK brand last week in partnership with BVGroup, the agreement further builds up the brand’s visibility in sports following deals with this year’s UEFA Euro 2024 and Copa America 2024. The company was also notably the first ever betting partner of the FIFA World Cup during the 2022 tournament.
“Aston Villa fans have a lot to be proud of in the Club’s long and illustrious 150 year history,” said George Daskalakis, Kaizen Gaming Co-Founder and CEO.
“Their passion matched on the pitch by incredible players and management taking the Club on the road to glory makes The Villans one of the most formidable teams in world football today.
“Aston Villa’s sensational on-field success in the Premier League along with their return to European football matches Betano’s own growth and continuing accomplishments.”
