Facebook will only be a “screaming buy” if it allows legalized real money gambling to take place over the social network. In a column for CityAM, Boris Schlossberg, director of currency research at spread bet firm GFT, said the firms reliance on revenue from Zynga products – 15 percent of their total income – means that social gambling is huge for them. Ahead of the IPO Schlossberg thinks this is the only way that shares in the firm will be attractive to retain the “buy” tag. The comments will add further weight behind the view that social gambling is the online gaming industry’s next huge opportunity.
Private firm bet365 has extended its deal with Stoke City to become the club’s shirt sponsor for the upcoming season. The news strengthens a five-year partnership that has seen the Stoke-on-Trent become increasingly visible at the club’s Britannia Stadium.
Denise Coates, joint chief executive of bet365, told the club’s official website: “We are delighted to have reached an agreement to become Stoke City’s shirt sponsors. It is a perfect fit for us as a Stoke-on-Trent-based company with a global reach and international markets to become shirt sponsor of our local Premier League club.
“This builds upon the extensive sponsorship, LED and advertising we are already committed to at many Premier League clubs and within the sports industry in general. It also further demonstrates our long term commitment to the Club.”
bet365 are the latest in a long line of gambling industry firms to take the plunge into Premier League sponsorship and much of it correlates with similar spikes in Asian viewing figures. Of those currently sponsoring teams in the top flight, two, in Bodog (West Brom) and Genting (Aston Villa), have Cantonese lettering on the shirtfront and Asian expansion is a big part of their sponsorship deals. We will wait to see if bet365 go off on a similar tangent.
Paddy Power’s latest advertisement has been given an 18+ rating by the video sharing website YouTube. Their goalline technology ad has been given an over-18 restriction and a spokesperson told CampaignLive: “Despite having a six figure view count and an overwhelmingly positive reaction by viewers, the fun police have decided to slap an over-18 restriction on our latest viral.”
