Crystal Palace FC has named Philippine-based online casino NET88 as the men’s official front-of-shirt sponsor for the 2024/25 season.
The record deal sees NET88 named as the club’s principal partner, with its logo set to appear on the men’s match kit and official training wear for the next two seasons.
In addition to the shirt branding, the online gaming service provider will also gain visibility across Selhurst Park on matchdays and on the club’s digital platforms.
Barry Webber, Chief Commercial Officer of Crystal Palace, said: “We’re pleased to announce this principal partnership ahead of the upcoming Premier League campaign as we build upon the excellent form of the men’s team at the end of last season, culminating in the selection of four players for the England Euros squad, more than any other Premier League club.
“Net88 is a global online gaming platform for sports and gaming fans alike, and we’re looking forward to working with them at this exciting time.”
As noted, Net88 is headquartered in the Philippines and was launched in 2020. The company describes itself as a leading online casino across Asia, particularly in Vietnam.
However, Net88 has little to no presence in the UK, as evidenced by the creation of an English-language X (formerly known as Twitter) account shortly before the announcement.
A NET88 spokesperson said: “Everyone at Net88 is excited to work with Crystal Palace after a fantastic end to last season. We are delighted to join a club that is moving forward with their great young talent.
“We are proud to be the club’s front of shirt sponsor and aim to build a successful relationship with the team and their passionate fans.”
Unsurprisingly the length of the deal is only two seasons, which aligns with the Premier League’s upcoming self-imposed ban on front-of-shirt sponsorship deals, set to begin from the 2026/27 season onwards.
Crystal Palace joins several other clubs which have named gambling companies as front-of-shirt-sponsors in the last few months, as clubs look to capitalise on the revenue opportunities offered by such deals while they are still available.
The deal is the second Asian betting partnership signed in the Premier League this week, following a similar deal inked between Wolverhampton Wanderers and DEBET. Both DEBET and NET88 are licensed in the UK via white label arrangements, but as noted above describe themselves as Asia-focused operators.
However, the agreements have caught some criticism from fans. Many have taken to X to criticise both Wolves and Palace for engaging in deals with Asia-focused betting firms, with some stating that NET88’s own account on X became active shortly before Palace announced the deal later that day.
This is not Palace’s first agreement with an Asian betting partner. The club was partnered with W88 back in 2022 before moving away from betting via a deal with car retailer Cinch, then returning to betting in 2023 in a deal with Kaiyun Sports.
