Perhaps unsurprisingly, given the popularity of sports sponsorship by betting brands over the years, the Indian Super League (ISL) seems to be the latest target. However, the situation is not as simple as betting companies sponsoring teams. Instead, the backing is being provided by news websites that are closely related to betting companies and often use similar logos and fonts.
This is a controversial happening in a country where the situation regarding online gambling is something of a grey area. In some states, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu, it has even been completely outlawed. There is also a consideration about whether this type of sponsorship deal could be defined as misleading advertising as per the new Consumer Protection Act. It’s interesting to take a closer look at this situation.
Sponsorship by news sites that have links to online gambling
The news sites DafaNews, PariMatch News, SBOTOP.net, and Indinews are all involved with sponsoring teams in the ISL. They also all have links to betting companies which are very popular for cricket betting and betting on the pro kabaddi league as mentioned there.
The same applies to PariMatch News which has a logo that is very similar to the PariMatch sports betting brand and SBOTOP and SBOTOP.net, the former of which is a betting site and the latter a ‘sports news’ site.
Despite the potential links between the sponsoring sites and betting brands, the ISL appears to have given its blessing to the sponsorship deals. In the case of one of the sponsored teams, Bengaluru FC which is sponsored by DafaNews, owner Parth Jindal has said that the league and broadcasters had given their permission for the sponsorship deal to happen.
ALSO SEE: List of the top sports betting websites in India
Does the sponsorship breach the new Consumer Protection Act?
The Consumer Protection Act, 2019, addresses the issue of surrogate or misleading advertising. It may seem as though the apparent connections between ISL sponsors and betting sites represents a breach of this. However, the ISL and broadcasters seem to have accepted that sponsors like DafaNews and PariMatch news are legitimate news websites in their own right. All India Football Federation (AIFF) general secretary Kushal Das has also stated that the AIFF has found no issue with the sponsorships.
Therefore, it seems that those involved do not see the sponsorship deals taking place in the ISL as a breach of the New Consumer Protection Act. As the landscape surrounding online gambling in India continues to change, it’s not certain what the future will bring. However, right now teams like Kerala Blasters, Chennaiyin FC, and Mumbai City FC, can be safe in the knowledge that they can continue to receive the valuable backing of their sponsors.
For similar updates from the world of sports betting and online casino, stay tuned to ReadScoops.com…
Register on SBOBET and get a whopping 100% first deposit bonus
