Casumo signs two-year partnership deal with Reading FC

Casumo has been confirmed as Reading FC’s new principal shirt sponsor until the 2021/22 football season, replacing the energy drink company Carabao. 

Founded in 2012, Casumo is an online casino built on proprietary software that boasts over 1,000 casino games from popular providers including NetEnt, Microgaming and Big Time Gaming. 

The company’s logo will appear on the home and away kits which will be revealed in the coming weeks ahead of the 2019/2020 football season starting next month. 

Casumo’s UK and Ireland country manager, Greg Tatton-Brown, said: “Casumo is extremely excited to launch this partnership with Reading Football Club, in what is a historic moment for our brand. 

“We are passionate about working with the Royals to make Madejski Stadium a fun, vibrant and exciting environment for its fans over the course of the next two years.”

Reading FC are currently playing in the Championship league and avoided relegation last season by finishing in 20th place. 

Reading FC CEO, Nigel Howe, said: “As a club we celebrate our history, football traditions and our glories gone by - but we also pride ourselves on being innovative and forward-thinking.

”Like Casumo, we strive to provide a fun, friendly and exhilarating environment for our fans and we look forward to working closely with Casumo this season and beyond.”

A shift in culture

The news follows recent reforms to gambling advertisement in sport. It was revealed in December 2018 that large sportsbook gambling firms, including Bet365, Ladbrokes and Paddy Power, agreed to a voluntary ‘whistle-to-whistle’ advert ban five minutes before and after any sporting event before the 9pm watershed from August 2019. 

The gambling firms have also pledged £60million to help tackle gambling addiction by funding treatment for problem gamblers. 

In April 2019, GVC Holding pushed for a complete ban on gambling ads, including shirt sponsors as part of its Changing for the Bettor safer gambling campaign.

Sporting sponsorships might be a first for Casumo, however 60% of England’s top two football divisions advertised gambling companies on their shirts during the 2018/19 season. For example, 32Red sponsored Aston Villa, Leeds United, Preston North End, Middlesborough and Derby County.