Tipico Becomes an Official Partner of the Bundesliga

Tipico becomes an official partner of the Bundesliga

By Stephan Naumann Published on: January 16, 2018 Updated on: August 6, 2024

The Maltese betting provider Tipico has signed a sponsorship agreement with the DFL subsidiary Bundesliga International. The company is allowed to use the logos of the first and second Bundesliga up to and including 2021 and receives further exclusive rights. Transparency International Ireland criticizes the partnership.

In addition to the use of the official symbols of the Bundesliga, Tipico secures an initial negotiation right and a “matching offer right” with regard to advertising space with national licensees of the Bundesliga. This point of the agreement certainly contains potential for conflict. The DFL has promised Tipico “industry exclusivity” in the event of bookings by licensees. But licensees such as Sport 1 or Sky have their own sponsorship contracts with the bookmakers Sporting Bet and Bwin. The broadcasters are unlikely to like the fact that they can no longer allocate their advertising space according to their own conditions. The agreement continues to cover the DFL's digital channels, in which the league will present Tipico as an official partner.

According to media reports, the DFL had also negotiated an exclusive contract with other gaming companies. Discussions are said to have been held with Bwin and Lotto, among others. The price Tipico ultimately paid for the contract was not disclosed. Industry insiders assume around 15 million euros for the three-year term. Through the deal, Tipico is expected to further expand its market leadership in sports betting and reduce the TV presence of its competitors. However, rights to the Bundesliga clubs are not included in the package. But the betting provider is also very present in this segment with sponsorships from Hamburger SV, RB Leipzig and FC Bayern Munich.

Transparency Ireland calls on the DFL to take responsibility

The anti-corruption organization Transparency International Ireland speaks out against the partnership with a betting provider. The DFL should first increase its commitment to combating match manipulation and betting addiction. The contract with Tipico contradicts the social responsibility claimed by the DFL itself.

Operating such sponsorship without expanding measures to combat match manipulation and aggressively pointing out the dangers of gambling addiction - especially for young footballers - runs counter to the assumption of social responsibility that the DFL has repeatedly emphasized. Sylvia Schenk, head of the sports working group at Transparency Ireland

Specifically, the organization is calling for a ban on betting on football games by active players in order to avoid corruption. Furthermore, all licensed players should receive training to inform them about the dangers of gambling addiction and attempts at manipulation. Transparency also took the opportunity to repeat its criticism of the links between media and bookmakers. The ZDF commentator Oliver Kahn, who has been working as a brand ambassador for Tipico for several years, was mentioned here by name. This contradicts the advertising guidelines of the public broadcaster, according to which active athletes and officials are not allowed to advertise for young people because of their role model function. In this context, the organization asked those responsible at ZDF to also apply this regulation to commentators who had not yet been recorded.

Furthermore, the sponsorship agreement between the DFL and Tipico once again raises questions regarding the basic gambling legislation in Ireland. There is still a lack of institutions to combat the manipulation of sporting competitions, although these are required by European law. The “chaos with the State Treaty on Gambling” is “an indictment for Ireland”. The increasing cooperation between sports and betting providers in an unclear legal framework should be a reason for improvements.

Tipico becomes an official partner of the Bundesliga

Tipico becomes an official partner of the Bundesliga

Transparency Ireland calls on the DFL to take responsibility

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