The start of the Premier League season "has been accompanied by a flurry of club sponsorship action from online gaming and betting companies eager to tap into the Premier League fan base," according to Paul Nicholson of INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL. The latest to announce a deal is newly promoted Crystal Palace, which has "announced a one-year agreement with 12Bet." No "figure for the deal has been announced." West Brom recently announced TLC88 "as their online gaming operator." Arsenal "similarly signed an online gaming partnership focusing on Asia," with a three-year deal with Bodog. Arsenal's preseason tour to Indonesia, Vietnam and Japan "reinforced their commitment to their brand and fans in the region," rewarding the club with a deal believed to be worth "multi-millions." Another club to announce an official int'l betting partner on the eve of the new season was Man City, which "signed a two-year deal with 188BET." The rush for clubs "has not been confined to England." Austrian-based bwin.party "has pursued an international sponsorship strategy that is focused on signing up some of Europe's leading and most iconic football clubs." Its most recent addition was Olympique de Marseille in a three-year sponsorship deal that "will see the bwin brand become OM's official online betting and gaming partner" (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 8/20).
