Argentine top-flight football team Club Atlético Independiente has announced Sportsbet as its new front-of-shirt sponsor, despite possible restrictions surrounding advertising being introduced soon.
Under the agreement, the sports betting operator will feature on Independiente’s kit during the 2025 season, in which the club will compete in the Copa Sudamericana. The brand will also engage in commercial initiatives throughout the year to enhance its visibility.
In an announcement, Independiente said: “Sportsbet is a site with slots, roulette, blackjack, live casino and bingo, which includes sports betting and manages with this agreement to position itself as a key player in the sports world, reaffirming its vision of promoting responsible entertainment and its support for sports institutions of great relevance such as the Club Atlético Independiente, one of the most emblematic in the American continent.”
With this deal materializing, four of the 'big five' Argentine clubs now have partnerships with gambling companies – Boca Juniors and Racing Club (both with Betsson) and River Plate (Codere).
However, this agreement comes just days after Argentina’s Chamber of Deputies approved a bill proposing an almost complete ban on gambling and betting advertising, including sports sponsorships, Sports Insider reported.
Sportsbet es el nuevo main sponsor de #Independiente para el 2025
— C. A. Independiente (@Independiente) December 16, 2024
➡️ https://t.co/BA76RRG0VA#TodoRojo 🔴 pic.twitter.com/SSM3uq8Kpx
The Premier League is set to implement a similar change at the end of the 2025/26 season, prohibiting gambling companies from serving as front-of-shirt sponsors. Currently, 10 clubs in the league have such agreements, as the gambling industry has traditionally been a significant source of revenue for kit sponsorships.
Acknowledging the need to address concerns while still accommodating clubs, the league has compromised by banning prominent front-of-shirt gambling ads but allowing partnerships in other forms, such as sleeve sponsorships or other commercial deals.
While this Argentine bill aims for a total ban on betting sponsorships, it is believed that a similar compromise could be reached, or even a potential veto by President Javier Milei, if the bill is approved.
