Football Association Ireland scraps two-year sponsorship deal with SportPesa
Nairobi-based operator only sealed partnership last March at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium
The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has terminated its two-year sponsorship agreement with SportPesa.
The abrupt ending of the partnership comes almost 11 months after the African betting operator was unveiled as the FAI’s latest commercial partner at a joint press conference in Dublin’s Aviva Stadium, alongside Republic of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy.
The tie-up, unveiled on 15 March 2019, included both organisations working together on a corporate social responsibility programme.
However, the FAI had been criticised by gambling addiction support groups for inking the deal with Sportpesa, which was one of the last partnerships the association’s chief exec, John Delaney, brokered before his departure from the embattled organisation last March.
Last week it was revealed the Irish government is to provide a €19.2m financial lifeline to the struggling FAI.
A spokesperson for SportPesa, which has a licence in Ireland, told The Sunday Times: “The FAI and SportPesa have mutually agreed to terminate the partnership between the two organisations.
“SportPesa has been immensely proud of its highly successful partnership with the FAI since March 2019. We, however, respect the fact that the FAI has decided to shift its priorities and re-evaluate its partnerships portfolio.
He added: “As an organisation that takes responsible gambling incredibly seriously, we understand the new approach taken by the FAI towards its partnerships with those in the gaming sector.
“As we continue to embark on our global expansion strategy, SportPesa remains fully committed to the promotion of responsible gambling in every market we operate in.”
SportPesa sponsors English Premier League side Everton and Championship club Hull City. The firm also became the first online betting outfit to enter Formula One via a title sponsorship deal with Racing Point.
However, the operator has faced severe headwinds in its home market of Kenya, where the government last year refused to renew its licence due to concerns around gambling addiction rates and suicides linked to gambling debts.
SportPesa axed around 450 jobs in October following the firm’s decision to exit the Kenyan market.
Source: SportPesa