Birmingham-based pro football club Aston Villa unveiled it has selected the online gambling brand Duelbits as its official betting partner in Europe for the 2022/2023 season. Duelbits is a cryptocurrency-focused site that provides casino gaming and sports betting services under a licence issued by the authorities of the Dutch Caribbean island of Curacao.
The brand has obtained permission from the British gambling watchdog (UKGC) for the launch of a white label site that is yet to go live in the UK. The white label licence is held by the Isle of Man-based gambling operator TGP Europe. It is the only European licence Duelbits has at the time of publication.
The site allows registrations from some other jurisdictions on the Old Continent despite lacking licences from their local regulatory bodies. Under the terms of the new partnership with Aston Villa, Duelbits will be able to display its logo on pitch-side LED advertising boards during matches played at Villa Park, the team’s home ground.
Duelbits Is Yet to Go Live in the UK
Fans of the Villans are unable to access the Duelbits website for the time being. In an official announcement published yesterday, the Premier League club describes its new partner as a “crypto casino and sportsbook”. The publication also contains a link that leads to the Curacao-licensed version of the betting site, which features various cryptocurrency products. For clarification, cryptocurrency gambling is currently disallowed in Great Britain.
The Chief Commercial Officer of Aston Villa, Nicola Ibbetson, said the club was pleased to embrace the brand into its family of betting partners. According to Ibbetson, Duelbits’ ambition for challenge and growth matches that of the pro football club. Aston Villa is looking forward to working with its new betting partner during the 2022/2023 season, Ibbetson concluded.
The Chief Marketing Officer of Duelbits, Marco Pinnisi, confirmed the brand is firmly resolved to enter into partnerships with the biggest and most prestigious sports clubs. The sponsorship deal with one of the Premier League’s most popular clubs is a great way to give Duelbits the exposure it deserves, Pinnisi said.
This is not the first time the Villans dabble into cryptocurrencies. Last year, the club announced the launch of the Aston Villa Fan Token in partnership with major blockchain provider Chiliz. The tokens launched on the Socios.com app and are minted on the Chiliz semi-decentralized blockchain. The value of the Aston Villa Fan Token reached its peak toward the end of 2021 but has diminished by more than 70% since then.
The Premier League club has been sponsored by other gambling businesses in the past, including OB Sports, the Macau-based LT, and W88. The three betting brands operated on the British market via white label licences but were better-known on the Asian market.
- Author
Daniel Williams
