TLDR
- All five of Argentina’s biggest football clubs now have betting brands as front-of-shirt sponsors
- 9 out of 30 teams in Liga Profesional (30%) have betting operators as their main sponsor
- Betsson’s deal with Boca Juniors is worth roughly $7.5 million per year and runs until 2028
- Betting was legalized in Argentina in 2021, and the industry has grown quickly since then
- Companies like Betsson say they are focused on promoting responsible gambling and fighting illegal platforms
Argentina’s online betting industry has moved fast since its legalization in 2021. In just a few years, betting companies have become some of the most visible sponsors in the country’s top football league.
All five of Argentina’s biggest clubs now wear betting brand logos on the front of their shirts. Across the Liga Profesional, 9 out of 30 teams have betting operators as their primary sponsor.
That works out to 30% of the league. While that number may not sound overwhelming, the involvement of the country’s most high-profile clubs gives the betting industry outsized visibility.
Betsson is one of the most active betting companies in Argentine football. The company sponsors both Boca Juniors and Racing Club.
Betsson’s Multi-Million Dollar Deals
The deal with Boca Juniors was signed in 2023 and runs through 2028. It is estimated to be worth about $7.5 million per year.
Betsson’s partnership with Racing Club is also a multi-year agreement. That deal, which started in 2023, costs roughly $2 million annually.
Victoria Siano, PR Manager for Betsson Group in Argentina, said the company views these deals as more than standard sponsorships. She called them “fansorships.”
“Appearing on the shirts of these teams makes it clear for the general public that we are a legal, safe betting site that complies with regulations,” she said.
Siano also stressed the value of partnering with Boca Juniors specifically. She said Boca is one of the biggest clubs not just in Argentina, but across the entire region.
Another early mover in this space was Bplay. That betting site partnered with Vélez Sarsfield and Estudiantes de La Plata and went on to become an official sponsor of the Liga Profesional itself.
The growth of betting sponsorships in Argentine football has happened alongside the development of gambling regulations. Buenos Aires Province and Buenos Aires City, where most major clubs are based, have both been gradually putting rules in place.
Responsible Gambling and the Fight Against Illegal Platforms
Siano said the rapid growth of betting sponsorships is a natural result of the industry being so new. “It is a very young industry that was legalized only a few years ago in the country,” she said. “Naturally, it requires communication from firms.”
She added that educating users about the difference between legal and illegal platforms is a priority. Illegal gambling sites, she said, pose real dangers to consumers.
Betsson says it follows regulations strictly in every country where it operates. The company also says it self-regulates to avoid overexposure and to stay away from gray areas.
Argentina is not the only country in the region where this trend is playing out. In Colombia and Brazil, betting operators are even more deeply involved in football sponsorship.
Betsson itself has international deals with clubs like Inter Milan and Atlético Nacional.
Siano said football clubs play an important role in spreading responsible gambling messages. She argued those messages carry more weight when they come from clubs rather than from betting companies themselves.
“We find it absolutely vital that there is discussion and that clubs promote responsible gambling messages,” she said.
